Anglo-Zanzibar War

Anglo-Zanzibar War
Sultan's harem after the bombardment
Date 9:02–9:40 am EAT (6:02–6:40 UTC), 27 August 1896 Location Zanzibar Town, Zanzibar Result British victory
Belligerents
‎ British Empire	Zanzibar
Commanders and leaders
Rear-Admiral Harry Rawson, General Lloyd Mathews	Sultan Khalid bin Bargash, Captain Saleh
Strength
900 soldiers of the Zanzibar regular army; 150 Royal Marines and sailors on land; HMS Philomel; HMS Thrush; HMS Sparrow; HMS Racoon; HMS St George	2,800 fighting troops; HMS Glasgow; several hundred slaves and servants present within the palace
Casualties and losses
One sailor wounded	Approximately 500 killed

The Anglo-Zanzibar War was fought between the United Kingdom and Zanzibar on 27 August 1896. With a duration of around 40 minutes, it holds the record of being the shortest war in recorded history. The war started with the death of the pro-British Sultan Hamad on 25 August 1896 and the resulting succession of Sultan Khalid. Despite Khalid's legitimate election by Arab elders he did not seek permission of the British Consul, Basil Cave, as required by a treaty signed in 1886. The British government preferred an alternative candidate for Sultan, Hamud bin Muhammed, who was more friendly and expected to abolish slavery in the area, whilst Khalid was a keen proponent of it. An ultimatum was sent to Khalid demanding that he leave the palace and stand down or action would be taken. Instead Khalid called up his palace guard and barricaded himself within the palace.

Hostilities opened with the expiry of the ultimatum at 9:00 am EAT on 27 August and a force of three British cruisers, two gunships, 150 marines and sailors and 900 loyal Zanzibaris under Rear-Admiral Harry Rawson and General of the Zanzibar army Lloyd Mathews attacked the palace. Defending the palace were around 2800 Zanzibaris, mostly recruited from the civilian population, and several hundred servants and slaves attending the Sultan—although most of the civilian population of the town took no part in the war. The defenders were in possession of several artillery pieces and machine guns which were set in front of the palace sighted at the British vessels. A brisk bombardment of the palace and defending artillery was opened at 9:02 am and soon the palace was on fire and the artillery silenced. A small naval action took place with the British sinking a Zanzibari frigate and two smaller vessels and some shots were fired ineffectually at the loyal Zanzibari troops who were stationed to the South of the palace to protect the diplomatic quarter. The flag at the palace was shot down and fire ceased at 9:40 am.

In all, around 500 of the Sultans force were killed whilst the British force suffered just one sailor injured. Sultan Khalid received asylum in the German consulate before escaping to Tanganyika. The new Sultan Hamud was quickly placed in power and within a few months abolished slavery at the head of a puppet government. The war marked the end of Zanzibar as a sovereign state and the start of a period of heavy British influence. It was also a clear indication of the effects that naval firepower could have upon land-based forces and was studied as an example of the need for strong coastal defences in towns.

Origins

Britain had been involved with the country of Zanzibar for centuries and were on friendly terms with the Sultans since a British agreement to recognise independence from Oman in 1858 and in 1873 and 1875 treaties banning overseas slave trading and an 1886 agreement to recognise the sovereignity of Zanzibar and its Sultancy. Britain and Germany vied for control of the area throughout the 19th century and there was much competition for trade rights and territory, Britain was granted land by Zanzibar in East Africa which later became Kenya and Germany that of Tanganyika. This upset some sections of the Arab ruling classes whose wealth was built upon slavery which was outlawed in the European-held lands. Germany also refused to fly the Sultan's flag in Tanganyika which led to armed clashes between German troops and the local population, one skirmish at Tanga claiming the lives of 20 Arabs.

The Sultan, Khalifah bin Said sent in troops to restore order, led by General Lloyd Mathews, formerly a Lieutenant of the Royal Navy. This was largely successful but Anti-German feelings remained strong and conflict erupted at Bagamoyo where 150 natives were killed by a German force and at Ketwa where German officials and their servants were murdered. The Sultan then granted extensive trade rights to the Imperial British East Africa Company who, with German assistance, ran a naval blockade to halt the continuing domestic slave trade. Khalidah died in 1890 and was succeeded by Ali bin Said who banned the domestic slave trade (but not ownership), declared Zanzibar a British protectorate and appointed a British first minister. The British were also guaranteed a veto over the future appointment of Sultans.

The pro-British stance continued with Ali's successor Hamad bin Thuwaini but dissent with the local populace continued to rise over the increasing British control over the country, the British led army and the abolition of the valuable slave trade. The Sultan was authorised by Britain to raise a Zanzibari palace bodyguard but this led to complaints about their behaviour from European residents in Zanzibar Town, the capital and seat of government.

25 August

File:Zanzibar palace guard.jpg

Zanzibar palace guard cavalry

Sultan Hamad died suddenly at 11:40 am EAT (8:40 UTC) 25 August 1896. His 29 year-old nephew Khalid bin Bargash, who was suspected by some of his assassination, was elected by the local elders and business leaders and moved into the palace at Zanzibar Town without British approval in contravention of the treaty agreed with Ali. The British government preferred an alternative candidate Hamud bin Muhammed who was more favourable to them and Khalid was informed to think carefully about his actions by the Diplomatic Agent to Zanzibar, Basil Cave, and General Mathews.

Khalid's forces began mustering in the Palace Square under the command of Captain Saleh of the bodyguard and by the end of the day numbered 2800 men armed with rifles, several Maxim machine guns, a Gatling gun, a seventeenth century bronze cannon and several field guns which had been presented by the German Emperor. The Sultan's troops also took control of the entire Zanzibar Navy which consisted of one wooden frigate, the outdated HMS Glasgow, which had been presented to Zanzibar by the British in 1878. The majority of the Zanzibar army remained loyal but several soldiers mutinied to side with the Sultan, including a Colonel.

Mathews and Cave began to muster their forces as well, calling upon 900 loyal askaris under General Arthur Edward Harrington Raikes, a Lieutenant of the Wiltshire Regiment and 150 sailors and marines from the Pearl class protected cruiser HMS Philomel and the gunboat HMS Thrush which were anchored in the harbour. The naval contingent were under the command of Captain O'Callaghan and were ashore within fifteen minutes of being requested. A smaller contingent of sailors under Lieutenant Watson of Thrush were put ashore to guard the British consulate where British citizens were requested to gather for protection. HMS Sparrow, another gunship, also entered the harbour and was anchored next to Thrush opposite the palace.

Some concerns were raised amongst the British diplomats as to the reliability of the loyal askaris but they proved to be reliable and professional troops hardened by good military drill and several expeditions to East Africa. They were deployed in defensive positions to the South of the palace to block access to the consulates by the Sultan's forces.

Cave continued to send messages to Khalid requesting that he stand down his troops, leave the palace and return home but these were ignored and Khalid replied that he would proclaim himself Sultan at 3:00 pm. Cave stated that this would constitute an act of rebellion and that he would not be recognised by the British government. At 2:30 pm, Sultan Hamad was buried and exactly 30 minutes later a royal salute from the palace guns proclaimed the start of the Sultancy of Khalid. This news was telegraphed to London by Cave who could not open hostilities without approval. Meanwhile Cave informed all other foreign consuls that the new sultancy was not to be acknowledged and that all flags were to remain at half mast in honour of the late Hamad. The only one that did not was a large red flag flying from Khalid's palace.

26 August

HMS St George and HMS Philomel in the harbour

At 10:00 am on 26 August Archer class protected cruiser HMS Racoon arrived and was anchored in line with Thrush and Sparrow. Later that day at 2:00 pm the Edgar class protected cruiser HMS St George, flagship of the Cape and East Africa Station. Onboard were Rear-Admiral Harry Rawson and enough men to ensure the safety of the town. At around the same time the reply from London was received authorising Cave and Rawson to use the resources at their disposal to remove Khalid from power. Further negotiations with Khalid broke down and Rawson sent an ultimatum requiring him to haul down his flag and leave the palace by 9:00 am on 27 August or he would open fire. That afternoon all merchant vessels were cleared from the harbour and the women and children removed to St. George and a British-India Steam Navigation Company vessel. The British vessels in the harbour could now bring to bear 78 guns plus several machine guns against the palace, the most formidable navy to ever be assembled in East Africa.

27 August

File:Zanzibar palace after.jpg

Sultan's Palace and Harem after the bombardment

At 8:00 am on the morning of 27 August, having received no word from the palace, Rawson hoisted the signal "prepare for action" aboard St George. At 8:30 am, a messenger was received by Cave who asked what would happen at 9:00 am, he had the ultimatum repeated to him. The Sultan communicated with the French, American and German consulates as the British were not prepared to negotiate on the ultimatum and he stated that he could not leave the palace as he considered it to be "his house and the house of his father". He also sent a message to Queen Victoria via the American consulate that read "Queen Victoria, London. Hamad bin Thuwaini is dead. I have succeeded to the throne of my forefathers. I hope friendly relations will continue as before. Khalid bin Barghash, Sultan" but this was never delivered as the Americans did not recognise Khalid as Sultan.

At 9.00am exactly the order was given to open fire. At 9:02 am Her Majesty's Ships Raccoon, Thrush and Sparrow opened fire at the palace simultaneously, Thrush's first shot immediately dismounting an Arab 12 pounder cannon. 3000 defenders, servants and slaves were present in the largely wooden palace and despite barricades of crates, bales and rubber the casualties from the high explosive shells were high. Sultan Khalid is reported to "have fled at the first shot with all the leading Arabs, who left their slaves and followers to carry on the fighting" by a Reuters news correspondent but other sources state that the he remained in his palace throughout and ordered a retreat only at the last moment. The shelling ceased at around 9:40 am by which time the palace and attached harem had caught aflame, the enemy artillery had been silenced and the Sultan's flag cut down.

A naval engagement occurred when, at 9:05 am, the obsolete Glasgow fired a small brass cannon at the St George and in return was sunk at her moorings, her crew hoisted the British flag as a token of surrender and all were rescued by British sailors in launches. Thrush also sank two steam launches who fired upon her with rifles. Some land fighting also occurred where defenders fired on loyal Askaris, with little effect, as they approached the palace. The fighting ceased with the end of the shelling. The British controlled the town and the palace and by the afternoon Hamud bin Muhammed, an Arab favourable to the British, had been installed as Sultan with much reduced powers.

Aftermath

British sailors pose with a captured cannon outside the Sultan's palace

More than 500 Zanzibari men and women were killed in the fighting, most of them during the fire in the palace. British losses amounted to one Petty Officer severely wounded aboard Thrush; he later recovered. 1000 shells were estimated to have been fired by the British ships during the engagement, an average of one every three seconds. The Zanzibari townspeople mostly remained loyal during the war but the town's Indian quarter suffered from looting and 150 Sikh troops were transferred from Mombassa to restore order.

Khalid and several of his followers sought refuge in the German consulate following their flight from the palace. Despite extradition requests the German consul refused to surrender him as his country's extradition treaty with Britain specifically excluded political prisoners. Khalid was smuggled aboard a German Navy vessel on 2 October and taken to German East Africa. He was captured by British forces in 1916 and exiled to The Seychelles and Saint Helena before being allowed to return to East Africa where he died in Mombasa in 1927. Khalid's supporters were made to pay for the cost of shells fired against them and for damages caused by the looting which amounted to 300,000 rupees.

File:Zanzibari Casualty.jpg

Zanzibari casualty of the war

Sultan Hamud was loyal to the British that installed him and acted as a figurehead for an essentially British-run government. Indeed the Sultancy was only retained to avoid the costs involved with running Zanzibar as a crown colony. Britain gained control of all foreign, military, financial and executive affairs. Several months after the war Hamud, with British prompting, abolished slavery in all its forms. The Sultan's palace was demolished and never rebuilt, the attached harem was also destroyed but a smaller version was reconstructed.

General Raikes was appointed a First Class (Second Grade) member of the Order of the Brilliant Star of Zanzibar First Class on 24 September 1896, a First Class member of the Order of Hamondieh on 25 August 1897 and later promoted to Commander of the Zanzibar armies in acknowledgement for his work during the war. General Mathews was appointed a member of the Grand Order of Hamondieh on 25 August 1897 and became First Minister and Treasurer to the Zanzibari government in return for his services during the war.

The war was widely analysed by the world powers of the time as an example of naval firepower. Scientific American featured a study in issue 1094 towards the end of 1896 that related the effects of the bombardment to the USA's own coastal defences. It concluded that "The type of ship that knocked the Zanzibar buildings to pieces in less than an hour is possessed by every state that owns a navy, big or little. To those people who cannot see the necessity for our ever recurring sea coast defense, this fact... should prove a convincing argument". The war, at around 40 minutes long, is considered the shortest in recorded history.