"دليل الخليج. مجلد I. القسم التاريخي. الأجزاء Iأ و Iب. ج.ج. لوريمر ١٩١٥" [‎١‎٢‎٧‎٥] (١٧٨٢/١٤٣٠)

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Baghdad. On the 23rd of the month the armies came in contact; and on
the '25th, after a long- and doubtful conflict upon the bank of the Euphrates,
the tribal army was scattered and Thuwaini fled the field, attended only by
a few followers. The victor then appointed Mustafa Agha to the Mutasal-
limate of Basrah, recognised Ahmad as principal Shaikh of the Muntafik
tribe, and not only obliged the merchants of Basrah to propitiate him
with gifts, but also ordered them to pay double duties on their goods
during the current year, irrespective of what Thuwaini had already taken
from them in customs and as a loan. After a time Thuwaini made over
tures to the Pasha for a pardon; but these, at least in the first instance,
were disregarded. Two English travellers, Ensign William Franckline,
who was at Basrah from the 28th of December 1787 to the
12th of February 1788, and Dr. Thomas Howel, whose sojourn there
lasted from the 23rd of February to the 1st of March 1788, have
left an account o£ Shaikh Thuwaini's revolution: and Dr. Howel
personally examined the site of the battle of the 25th October, which
" bore the marks of having been the scene of great slaughter; for
it was abundantly strewed with the bones of men and horses.
Trade revived at Basrah, to some extent, between 1780 and 1787 ; but
in the next year it again became languid in consequence of the rebellion of
Thuwaini and the difficulties of the Turkish Government in Europe.
After 1786 there was little or no profit on the sale of Indian piece-goods
in Turkish 'Iraq. In 1789 the number of bales of Indian piece-goods
imported at Basrah was only 800, and the whole treasure freight of the
merchant vessels returning to India did not exceed Rs. 50,000. The
broadcloth and long ells imported by the East India Company had now a
slow and unprofitable sale, and they could only be disposed of at a very long
credit. This was due to several causes—to their high price; to the
competition of similar goods of French origin ; to an unfavourable exchange,
involving loss on all remittances of money or valuables to India ; and to
a great and increasing dearth of specie, Turkish gold suitable for expor
tation abroad having practically ceased to be available. Some cheap
kinds of locally manufactured cloth had taken the place of varieties formerly
imported ; and part of the 1 ndian muslins consigned to Europe now travel
led to their destination by some sea route, instead of by Basrah and
Baghdad as formerly. An important commercial advantage enjoyed by
the British in Turkish ; Iraq was that, in case of a native merchant
becoming bankrupt, the claims of his British creditors were, under
Farman, satisfied in full before anything was distributed among native
creditors.
Course of
trade, especi
ally British,
1779-89.