'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' [‎103v] (210/226)

xxxviii ]
nearer at every, while a large portion are already in the transition state
from pastoral to agricultural habits, and respect cannot long continue to
be entertained, for a pageant in itself is utterly powerless and despicable.
If therefore the policy of Great Britain embraces any views,
whether of a political, commercial, or agricultural nature, connected with
this country, it must be obvious that a change must be effected in the
Government here if she would not see her undertakings, of whatever
kind, even the establishment of steam-boats on the Euphrates, termi
nate in disappointment and loss.
An attempt shall now be made to show what change on the face
of the Pachalic might be effected by a Government possessed of firm
ness and stability, and acting on principles of moderation and justice
and liberality, and opposed to violence, venality, and fraud.
On the succession of Soleyman Pacha to the Vizierat in 177, the
condition of the Pachalic was much what it is at present. It was
overrun by Arab tribes; its agriculture was destroyed or abandoned;
and the city of Bagdad, deserted by its merchants and its commerce, was
almost destitute of revenue or resources. Soleyman, while commanding
the troops of his master, Ahmed Pacha, had however gained a name for
courage and vigor of action among the Arabs, and he maintained it well
on his accession to the Vizierat. But the just thing to do was to restore
the failing revenues of the Pachalic. He promised protection to the
Fellahs Arabic for ‘peasant’. It was used by British officials to refer to agricultural workers or to members of a social class employed primarily in agricultural labour. and encouraged them to re-occupy their deserted villages, and
inviting merchants from all quarters to repeople the bazars; he lent them
his own money, free of interest, to trade upon. The effect was magical.
In a few years a desolate waste was transformed into a smiling and pro
ductive country, and the bazars of Bagdad teemed with the commodities
of every foreign land, the lawful duties upon which amply repaid his
first outlay.
A like result, though not to an equal extent, justified the policy and
rewarded the Vizier of Daood Pacha's administration. He awed and
controlled the Arab tribes, and though he ground the ryots, he encour
aged agriculture by digging and reopening canals, while commerce
in particular flourished under his auspices, and his revenue became large
and increasing. Unfortunately for himself, he listened rather to the flat
teries and misrepresentations of his servants than to the disinterested
and sound advice offered him by the English Resident. But he saw his
error and acknowledged it, and but for his overthrow, which was effected
by the hand of the Almighty alone, and not by any other power of the
Porte, he would have redeemed the mistake, and we should now in all
probability have seen the resources of the Pachalic expanding under
a liberal system of improvement and British influence, and filling and
spreading gradually abroad, while a wild field would have been opened to
British capital and genius. But that is now passed, and it remains to
examine what might still be done, what would even be the immediate
effect of a change in the nature of the Government of this Pachalic.
Such a measure would by necessity involve a complete change of
every person now employed under the present Government, nor would
there be any difficulty in obtaining a supply of able and honest men to