Vol 9 Bushire Diary

Content

The volume consists of chronological diary entries containing transcripts of correspondence sent and received, and notes on the arrival and departure of vessels at Bushire. The Residents during the period covered were William Bruce (acting) and (from May 1807) Nicholas Hankey Smith.

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 between the Resident and other East India Company officials: officials of 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. (including correspondence in the Political, Military, Public, General and Commercial Departments, and correspondence with the Accountant General); the Resident at Bagdad [Baghdad] (Harford Jones, and later John Hine [Acting]); the Resident at Muscat (David Seton); and the Resident at Bussora [Basra] (Lieutenant William Eatwell [Acting], and later Samuel Manesty).

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. (the East India Company navy) 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:

• political developments in the Gulf;
• movements of ships;
• the transmission of packets of correspondence;
• piracy;
• the provision and sale of East India Company merchandise;
• accounting and financial matters;
• administrative matters;
• relations with the Court of Persia;
• relations with local rulers;
• the activities of the French in the region (including the activities of French privateers);
• reports of political and military developments in Europe.

Specific topic include:

• dispatches from 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. concerning the Persian Embassy to India (entry for 20 February 1806, folios 5-22), including a report of an assault by a sepoy Term used in English to refer to an Indian infantryman. Carries some derogatory connotations as sometimes used as a means of othering and emphasising race, colour, origins, or rank. sentry on a horse belonging to members of the suite of the Persian Ambassador, Mohumed Nebee Khan [Muhammad Nābī Khān];
• dispatches from 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. concerning the Persian Embassy to India (entry for 27 February 1806, folios 22v-40v), including details of the garrison court martial of the sentry mentioned above, and financial claims of the Persian Ambassador;
• letter from Bruce to Francis Warden, Secretary to 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. dated 3 March 1806, in response to the above dispatches (folio 41);
• letter from Bruce to Jonathan Duncan, President and Governor in Council, dated 12 March 1806 containing a report of the search for the wreck of the Reliance (f. 42v);
• letter from Bruce to Jonathan Duncan, President and Governor in Council, dated 25 March 1806 containing a report of the presence of a French agent at Tabrize [Tabriz], who was on his way to Teheran [Tehran] (f. 44v);
• dispatches from 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. concerning the Persian Embassy to India (entry for 13 April 1806, folios 40v-67v), including details of stores drawn and remaining to be drawn from the Honourable Company's stores, and bills to be paid on account of the Rahimshaw (ff. 47-51), account of articles purchased by the Ambassador's people (ff. 56v-57), report of the sale of horses presented by the Persian Ambassador (f. 60), and list of articles purchased for the Persian Ambassador for use as presents (f. 62);
• dispatches from 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. concerning the Persian Embassy to India (entry for 27 May 1806, ff.74v-138v), including the embarkation of the embassy for Calcutta;
• correspondence containing reports by Bruce of a French agent at the Court of Persia, (1-5 September 1806, ff. 160v-162);
• regulations issued by 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. concerning persons in the East Company's service who wished to proceed to Europe (19 October 1806, ff. 170v-171);
• correspondence concerning an incident involving the Honourable Company's Schooner Sylph at Bushire, which led to a serious loss of life amongst the Sylph's crew (14 January - 14 February 1807, ff. 188-192);
• table of books, statements etc. required by the Accountant General's Office, 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. , issued 11 March 1807 (f. 228).

Extent and format

2 volumes (241 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 approximate 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, which runs through both volumes, commences at 1 on the first folio of correspondence and terminates at 235 on the inside back cover of the second volume. The numbers are written in pencil, are smaller than the pagination numbers, and appear near 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 anomalies: ff. 116, 116A, 116B, 116C, 116D, 116E, 1116F. Folio 228 folds out beyond the edge of the volume. This is the system in use.

Pagination: there is also an incomplete pagination sequence, which runs from 1-458 through both volumes. The numbers are written in pencil, are larger than the foliation numbers, and appear at the top centre or toward the top of the recto The front of a sheet of paper or leaf, often abbreviated to 'r'. and verso The back of a sheet of paper or leaf, often abbreviated to 'v'. pages.

Condition: the volumes have suffered extensive damage at the beginning and end of the original (pre-conservation) volume (ff. 1-15 and 222-232), in the shape of damaged edges and holes in the folios, which has resulted in significant losses of text. There is also some damage to other folios, which occasionally causes loss of text.

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/15/1/9

History of this record

Date(s)

28 Jan 1806-27 May 1807 (CE, Gregorian)

Subjects

Napoleonic Wars (1800-1815)Diplomacy

Places

Bombay

People & organisations

Persian Ambassador to IndiaSylph, schoonerGovernment of Bombay, Political DepartmentGovernment of Bombay, Accountant General

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Vol 9 Bushire Diary, British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/R/15/1/9, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/node/9490> [accessed 22 December 2024]

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