'Vol 7 Diary of the Proceedings of the Resident at the Honble Companys Factory of Bushier [Bushire]'

Content

The volume consists of chronological entries containing transcripts of correspondence sent and received, and notes on the arrival and departure of vessels at Bushire. The Resident during the period covered was William Bruce (acting).

The correspondence sent is entered under the date the letter was written; that received is entered under the date of receipt at Bushire. The correspondence is mostly between the Resident and other East India Company officials, particularly the Government of Bombay From c. 1668-1858, the East India Company’s administration in the city of Bombay [Mumbai] and western India. From 1858-1947, a subdivision of the British Raj. It was responsible for British relations with the Gulf and Red Sea regions. ; the Government of Bengal From c. 1758-1858, the East India Company's administration in Bengal. From 1773-1833, the most senior of the three subdivisions of India, also known as the Supreme Government of India. From 1858-1947, a subdivision of the British Raj. , Fort William, Calcutta; the Resident at Bussora [Basra] (Samuel Manesty, and deputising for him Lieutenant Edward Hutchins Bellasis and John Law); the Resident at Bagdad [Baghdad] (Harford Jones); the Resident at Muscat (David Seton); and commanders of ships of the Bombay Marine The navy of the East India Company. (the East India Company navy) .

The records of shipping consist of a note of the day of arrival and departure of ships of the Bombay Marine The navy of the East India Company. and country ships (privately-owned merchant ships, which operated under licence from the East India Company), and information on their port of origin and destination. The term 'imported' is used to indicate the arrival of a vessel.

General topics covered in the volume include:

• appointments;
• piracy;
• movements of ships;
• financial and accounting matters;
• sales of merchandise;
• relations with Persia;
• political developments in the region;
• administrative matters;
• the transmission of packets of correspondence;
• the activities of French privateers in the Gulf.

Specific topics (dated by date of diary entry) covered in the volume include:

• the capture of the Creole and the fate of the body of the late Resident at Bushire, Mirza Mehedy Alli Khawn [ Mīrzā A title of honour originally applied to princes, later to military leaders, and later still to secretaries, chieftains, and other ‘gentlemen’. Mahdī ‘Alī Khān], 31 October 1805 (ff. 2v-3r);
• correspondence between the Government of Bombay From c. 1668-1858, the East India Company’s administration in the city of Bombay [Mumbai] and western India. From 1858-1947, a subdivision of the British Raj. It was responsible for British relations with the Gulf and Red Sea regions. and Bruce concerning discrepancies in the audit of the Bushire Residency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, established in the provinces and regions considered part of, or under the influence of, British India. accounts for the period 1801/02, 13 November 1804 (ff. 3r-4r);
• the capture by Joasem [ Qāsimī One of the ruling families of the United Arab Emirates; also used to refer to a confederation of seafaring Arabs led by the Qāsimī tribe from Ras al Khaima. ] pirates of the British brigs Shannon and Trimmer (e.g. entries for 6 December 1804 - 12 January 1805, ff. 26r-32v).

The volume contains transcribed correspondence from dates earlier than the first diary entry. The earliest such letter is dated 30 November 1803.

Extent and format

1 volume (91 folios)

Arrangement

The volume is in the form of a diary running in chronological order from the front to the rear of the volume. The correspondence sent is entered under the date the letter was written; that received is entered under the date of receipt at Bushire. Notes of the arrival and departure of vessels are similarly recorded in diary form under the relevant date.

Physical characteristics

Foliation: the foliation sequence commences at 1 on the first folio after the front cover and terminates at 90 on the last folio before the back cover. The numbers are written in pencil, are circled, and appear in the top right hand corner of the recto The front of a sheet of paper or leaf, often abbreviated to 'r'. page of each folio. Foliation anomaly: ff. 1, 1A.

Pagination: a pagination sequence numbered 1-176 runs between ff. 2-89. These numbers are written in ink and appear in the top right ( recto The front of a sheet of paper or leaf, often abbreviated to 'r'. ) or top left ( verso The back of a sheet of paper or leaf, often abbreviated to 'v'. ) corner of each page. Damage to the edges of the pages has resulted in the loss of some of these numbers. In consequence, the pagination sequence has been duplicated in pencil on each page; these numbers appear in the top centre of each page and are not circled.

Condition: the volume has suffered damage to the edges of many of the folios. This has resulted in the loss of some of the pagination numbers (as above) and (particularly between ff. 2-22) the ends of some lines of text; however, the missing text can generally be reconstructed. There are also two holes in the top centre and top right of folios 1-11. These have also occasioned some loss of text, but the sense of the original is generally unaffected.

Written in

English in Latin script

Type

Diary

Access & Reference

Original held at

British Library: India Office The department of the British Government to which the Government of India reported between 1858 and 1947. The successor to the Court of Directors. Records and Private Papers Documents collected in a private capacity.

Access conditions

Unrestricted

Archive reference

IOR/R/15/1/7

History of this record

Date(s)

29 Oct 1804-11 Aug 1805 (CE, Gregorian)

Places

Persia

People & organisations

French Envoy to PersiaGovernment of Bombay, Civil Auditor

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'Vol 7 Diary of the Proceedings of the Resident at the Honble Companys Factory of Bushier [Bushire]', British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/R/15/1/7, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/node/9442> [accessed 26 March 2025]

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