'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' [‎16v] (34/226)

2 PRECIS OF INFORMATION REGARDING CONNECTION OF E. I. COMPY.
6. The earliest information I have been able to trace in regard to
the existence of a commercial establishment in Persia belonging to the
Hon'ble East India Company commences with the year 1630.
7. The oldest records in the possession of this Government are
copies of some letters from the Chief in Council of the Hon^ble East
India Company^ Eactory at Surat during the year 1630. The whole of
these letters, with two exceptions, are addressed to the Commanders of
the East India Company^ vessels at anchor off Surat, and to the Chief
in Council of the subordinate factories of Ahmedabad, Cambay, Broach,
Brodera, Agra, and Masulipatam. The two exceptions are—one letter to
the address of the Hon'ble East India Company, dated the 26th February
1630, and one to the Chief in Council of the Eactory in Persia, dated
the 6th October of the same year.
8. The former of these two last mentioned letters bears the earliest
date of any document on the records of this Government. This letter,
from which the following is the verbatim extract, is addressed " To the
Hon'ble Companie" by Mr. Thomas Rastell, and is dated on board the
ship James, Augustine's 11 Bay, 26th July 1630. Erom subsequent letters,
Mr. Rostell appears, when the above was written, to have been on his
way out from England to Surat to assume the office of Chief at the
Hon'ble East India Company's factory An East India Company trading post. at that place :—
" Eight Worshipful! Itt hath pleased the Almeightye God, in his great goodness,
to protect us hither in safetie and blessed unitie and concord together, the 14th day of
this present month, our people generally then in reasonable good plight, and without the
losse of any more than five men in our whole shipe, for the which His mercies may
His blessed name be magnified for ever ! Wee met not with any accidents in our pas
sage hither that is worth your notice, nor did wee touch att all at the Cape, having
before most happilie fallen upon the Island of Trimdada lying in the latitude of 20
and 40 ms., where wee had both safe rydinge and very plentiful refreshment, both of
fish and fowl in great abundance, and where I should wish all our outward-bound fleets
might endeavour futurely to stay, as a place more safe than the Cape, and more easie to
get off without the least tardiness or difficultie, the water being excellent good, though
a little troublesome in its conveyance into our boates. The further description whearof,
as of the island itselfe, together with the reasons of our not fullie watei-iuge thearfor
that tyme, I referr unto the Commander's relason* hear with all, and proceed to other
advice following.
" Att this island wee arrived the 20th day of May, and sett sayle againe the 25th
ditto; and having doubled the Cape without touching there as aforesaid, I saw fair likely-
hood of a greate proportion of tyme to be advanst unto us serving to no other use in
your benefit than fruitlesslye to be cast away on eating and drinking att all the islands,
and therefore fell into consideration how to make use of their advantage unto your
behoust; and that in communicating my mynde with the Commander in private, and
afterwards to the rest in publique, how greatly it would redowne to the conveynience,
strength, and benefit of your trade and state and ffleet that possibly Persia might be
seasonably attayned before our arrival att Surratt; but soo as the adventures of your
business in the one might no way prejudice the other. Thus att my arrivall here at
St. Lawrence * * * wee most pvosprously found these ships, the Charles and
Jonas, the 14th of the present month ****** to Mr. Wilde and Captaine
Widdell * * * * highly applauded the designe, espetially * * * * stood
the grounds #**»** there being no fortes in the Gulfe * * * *
first that so much ******** would bee hereby secured, which other
wise must runne a hazard with the rest upon the Coast of India, and the likelyest
place of the two for our ffleets to be assaulted; that being disburthened of soo much
a Madagascar.
* The words cannot be deciphered in places where asterisks occur.