"دليل الخليج. مجلد I. القسم التاريخي. الأجزاء Iأ و Iب. ج.ج. لوريمر ١٩١٥" [‎١‎٤‎٣] (١٧٨٢/٢٨٦)

143
island from falling into the hands of Karim Khan, made a half-hearted from
attempt to dictate to the new Mir, and even authorised the commander S ielir '
of the Company's squadron to destroy his vessels, or those of the EVabs
if a favourable opportunity should occur. Mr Morley, the Resident at
Bushehr, foreseeing trouble with the Persian Government in consequence
of these and other similar proceedings, then retired from Persia along
with his whole establishment; and direct friendly intercourse between
the British and the Vakil was at an end. The withdrawal from
Bushehr happened to be consonant with the views of the Court of
Directors in London, who had allowed themselves to be influenced to a
great extent by the opinions of Mr. Moore, and who consequently
regarded Karim Khan as altogether untrustworthy ; but it was strongly
disapproved by the Government of Bombay, and they ordered the Agent
to commence negotiations for the re-establishment of the Bushehr
Residency. Mr. Moore, however, found means to postpone compliance
with their instructions until 1770, when a return to Bushehr was
positively prohibited by the Court. The Directors were at this time
indignant on account of certain restrictions which the Vakil, in the
t supposed interests of Persia, had imposed on British trade in the country ;
and they accepted the opinion of Mr. Moore, which was contrary to that
of the Government of Bombay, that the Company's trade in the Gulf
could be most conveniently and most profitably carried on from one
settlement at Basrah.
In the summer of 1770 some boats from Kharag captured the Piracy by
"Britannia" and another vessel under British colours and carried
them to Rig, where they were detained. The Agent and Council at JuTgested" 4
Basrah, having failed to obtain immediate satisfaction, reported that exp ? difcion
. i i i. -i i against
they believed the seizures to have been ordered by Karim Khan and 1>ersi ^ 1770 '
suggested, by way of remedy, that a large expedition should be sent to
the Gulf, carrying 500 European soldiers and 1,500 sepoys at least, to
punish the Vakil and extirpate piracy, root and branch. But the Court
of Directors, however unwilling they might be to seek a reconciliation
with Karim Khan, were still more averse to war with him ; and they
therefore forbade hostile measures ^nd suggested recourse to the protec
tion of the Royal JSayv and to a system of convoys in the Gulf. The
authority of the \akil was now better established upon the Persian
littoral than in the beginning ; Tan gist an and Dashti had been visited
by his troops in 1765, Lar and with it Bandar 'Abbas had been reduced
in 176(», and symptoms of disregard for his authority at Bushehr and