"دليل الخليج. مجلد I. القسم التاريخي. الأجزاء Iأ و Iب. ج.ج. لوريمر ١٩١٥" [‎١‎٣‎٢‎٤] (١٧٨٢/١٤٧٩)

Early
relations
with Dawud
Pasha,
1817-19.
Attitude of
the Assistant
Political
Agent at
Basrah with
reference to
the outrages
committed
there by
Najdis in
1820.
1324
the Mutasallim himself or of the Kapitan Pasha. The second referred
to kidnapped Indians, subjects of the British Government, whether
male or female, who might be brouorht to Basrah for disposal as slaves by
local or Masqat vessels, and ordered that they should be transferred to
the Resident s agent. J he abuses at which these two edicts were aimed
no doubt prevailed at the time to some considerable extent.
Dawud Pasha, on being appointed to the Pashaliq of Baghdad, at once
informed Mr. Rich, the British Political Agent, of the fact and invited
his congratulations; but Mr. Rich, as the success of the Pasha in enforc
ing his authority appeared problematical, at first abstained from answer
ing his letter. When Dawud Pasha at length prevailed over his rival,
however, the Political Agent wrote him a suitable letter, referring in it to
• i prua 1 ; and sincere friendship which had always subsisted between
them; and an exchange of complimentary letters then took place between
the Pasha and Sir Evan Xepean, Governor of Bombay. By the middle
of 1819 a cloud had come over the former good understanding between
Dawud Pasha and Mr. Rich; and the latter had to complain of an attack,
committed amidst the disorders which now began to prevail, upon a
mounted messenger of the Political Agency, through which a number of
despatches from the East India Company's Agent at Constantinople
were lost
In 1820, when, as we have already seen, various cutrages were com
mitted by Arabs of Najd at Basrah at the instigation of some resident
Najdi merchants, Captain Taylor, the Assistant Political Agent at
Basrah, was ordered by the Government of Bombay to observe complete
neutrality as between the Turkish authorities and the disturbers of the
peace, and not to comply with a demand made by the Mutasallirr. for
the surrender of some property belonging to Najdi merchants which was
on board of British ships in the river. Captain Tayfor was at the same
time cautioned not to afford his official protection to any persons o^her
than those strictly entitled to it as British subjects or is connected ^th
the Factory; but he was directed to use his good offices with either party,
should this be necessary in order ^to prevent those who had a claim to
British protection from suffering injustice"; and he was authorised,
in case in jury oi insult to the iactory should become imminent in conse
quence of the disturbances, to withdraw from Basrah to Bushehr, or to
the island of Qishm on which a British military station had lately been
cstablisiiLd. Ihese urderg, issued by the Government of Bombay, were
confirmed by the Government of India.