"دليل الخليج. مجلد I. القسم التاريخي. الأجزاء Iأ و Iب. ج.ج. لوريمر ١٩١٥" [‎١‎٢‎٥‎٨] (١٧٨٢/١٤١٣)

British pro
ceedings at
Bushehr in
regard to the
siege of
Basrah, 7th
to 23rd April
1775.
Meanwhile, as is fully explained in the chapter on the history of the
Persian Coast, Mr. R. Garden, formerly of the Basrah Agency and at
this time a member of the Bombay Council, who was proceeding-to Basrah
on private business with the intention of continuing- his journey to Europe
had been commissioned by the Government of Bombay to open negotia
tions with Karim Khan for the release of Mr. Beaumont, then detained
in Persia as a prisoner in connection with the grievances of the Vakil
against the East India Company. It was also intended by the Bombay
Government that general good relations with the Persian ruler should be
instituted, if possible, by a reversal of the hostile policy pursued towards
him by Mr. Moore, under whose orders a virtual boycott of the ports of
Persia by the Company's ships, and even by private British vessels, had
been brought about.
Mr. Garden arrived at Bushehr on the 7th of April in the Company's
cruiser " Drake, under convoy of whieh came also three merchant vessels,
hound for Basrah, with valuable cargoes. He was made aware by
Mr. Beaumont of the request for naval assistance preferred by the Agent
at Basrah a few days previoasly, and he had at once to decide whether he
would comply with it or not. On full consideration he resolved, for
several reasons, to adhere to the instructions that he had received at
Bombay, rather than to reinforce Mr. Moore, whose anti-Persian tenden
cies were well known ; he expected that Karim Klran would in the end
prevail over the Turks, and he feared that, when once the Vakil ha
established his supremacy in the Gulf, it might be difficult or impossible
or the British to come to any understanding with him at all; he
considered that there would be extreme risk in attempting to force his
way to Basrah with the vessels at his disposal, three of which were so
inisera y equipped as to be incapable of defence; and he believed, more
over, that the awkward situation in which the Basrah Agency found
hemselves, and which in his opinion had been brought about by their
own indiscreet behaviour, might be remedied at any time by their embark
ing with the Company's goods on the " Eagle " and "Success," whieh
. Wltl1 Mr. Garden also foresaw that to enter immediately
o negotiations with the \ akil might be the best way of safeguarding
Company s pioperty at Basrah, jeopardised by the Agent's having
made himself a party to the war on the side of the Turks; and he had
^ o hope of success, for, while he had reason to believe that Mr. Moore's
-tion in suspending commercial intercourse with Persia was largely
responsible for the akil's treatment of Mr. Beaumont and even for his
Basiah, he ^as empowered by the Bombay Government to