'Precis Containing Information in regard to the First Connection of the Hon'ble East India Company with Turkish Arabia, as far as the Same Can Be Traced from the Records of the Bombay Government, together with the Names of the Several British Residents and Political Agents Who Have Been Stationed at Bagdad [Baghdad] and Bussorah [Basra] between A.D. 1646 and 1846, accompanied by Other Information' [‎81r] (163/226)

with turkish arabia A term used by the British officials to describe the territory roughly corresponding to, but not coextensive with, modern-day Iraq under the control of the Ottoman Empire. —1646 to 1846.
131
between England and India via the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. and Turkish Arabia A term used by the British officials to describe the territory roughly corresponding to, but not coextensive with, modern-day Iraq under the control of the Ottoman Empire. ,
by means of two steam vessels which, under a grant of £20,000 from the
British Parliament, it had been resolved to send out from England
vid thfi Mediterranean for the purpose of being placed on the Rivers Tigris
and Euphrates.
(Sd.) William R.
"William the IV., by the Grace of God, King of the United Kingdom of Great
Britain and Ireland, Defender of the Faith, to all and singular to whom these presents
shall come greeting : Whereas it has been represented to us that great advantages are
likely to result not only to the commerce of our own subjects, but to that of other
nations, and particularly to that of the subjects of our good ally, the high and mighty
Emperor Sultan Mahomed Han II., Chief Lord and Commander of the Eastern Empire,
from the establishment of a direct communication between the Mediterranean Sea and
the possessions of our Crown in the East Indies, for the effectual accomplishment of
which object it is proposed, among other things, to navigate by the means of steam
vessels the River Euphrates flowing through the dominions of our said ancient and
good ally : Now know ye that we moved by these considerations, and relying upon
the friendship of our said good ally, have determined to sanction the employment of a
certain number of scientific officers with the requisite number of artificers and other
workmen for the purpose aforesaid, and having moreover full confidence in the zeal
and ability of Colonel Francis Rawdon Chesney, an officer of our Royal Regiment of
Artillery, we do hereby constitute and appoint him the said Francis Rawdon Chesney
to be the Commander of the expedition as above described, and we do strictly charge
and enjoin him to use his best endeavours to ensure the success thereof, and further,
constantly to bear in mind our express command that he do cultivate to the utmost of
his power the best understanding and friendship with the authorities of our said
good ally in the districts through which the aforesaid expedition will pass, and that
he do conciliate the good-will and friendship of the inhabitants of the same, not doubt
ing that when this our present commission shall have been communicated to our said
good ally, he will cause corresponding instructions to be given to his own servants,
out of due regard for the friendship and alliance so happily subsisting between our
two Courts. In witness whereof we have signed these presents with our Royal hand.
Given at our Court at Brighton, the 28th day of November in the year of our Lord
1834 and in the oth year of our reign.
" By Her Majesty's Command,
"(Sd.) Wellington.
" To Colonel Feancis Rawdon Chesney, Commission, &c."
290. On the 29th December 1834 the Sublime Porte, on the appli
cation of the Right Hon'ble Lord Ponsonby, His Britannic Majesty's
Ambassador at Constantinople, granted the following firman A Persian word meaning a royal order or decree issued by a sovereign, used notably in the Ottoman Empire (sometimes written ‘phirmaund’). , authoriz
ing the navigation of the Euphrates River by the two steamers belong
ing to the British Government about to be placed on that river.
" Translate of an Imperial Firman A Persian word meaning a royal order or decree issued by a sovereign, used notably in the Ottoman Empire (sometimes written ‘phirmaund’). of protection for the English steam vessels destined
to navigate the River Euphrates, dated 29th December 1834, to Their Excellencies
the Vizirs, Pachas of three tails, to the illustrious Mirimirans Pachas of two
tails, to the learned Judges, to the Waivodas Capitains of ports and other
Magistrates of places situated on both banks of the Euphrates, Health.
" On receiving the Imperial command you will know as follows-The Ambassador
Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Great Britain at Constantinople, Lord 1 onsont)\,
one of the most illustrious personages among the Christian nations, has presented at
our Sublime Porte an official note, by which he intimates that the British Government
requires permission to cause to navigate by turns two steam boats on the River
Euphrates, which flows at a small distance from the city ol Bagdad, tor the purposes ot
facilitating commerce.