'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' [‎26r] (53/226)

WITH TUHKISH ARABIA 1646 TO 1846.
21
of near 20,000 telotaa in barley, dates, and wheat, he recalled the Aga he had sent
down here for that purpose, which had obliged him to drop his solicitation, and recall
Mr. Dorrill from Bagdad."
In May last, notwithstanding', there still remained due upwards of
30,000 telotas from the Arabs, as he found the Bashaw An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders. began to
grow tired, as nothing could be done without renewing our presents,
which he could not think of, as his profuseness had occasioned his
extorting- large sums of money from the people under him, and reduced
them to such extremities that the expense of a present to recover more
from them would be on too precarious an issue. He has placed the
" expense of the present and other charges to the account of the estate, for the
benefit of which they were disbursed."
49. On the 15th January 1740 Mr. Dorrill addressed the follow
ing letter to the Bombay Government. This letter was signed by
Mr. Dorrill as " Resident at Bussorah" :—
" Hon'ble Sir and Sirs,—The Fame not being to touch at Gombroon occasions my
troubling Your Honor in Council on a subject which I should otherwise have applied
to the Agent and Council (at Gombroon) to present. When Mr. Whitwell* was here,
he found the Hon'ble Company's allowance to be so far short of what would find him
in common necessaries, that he frequently requested the Agent and Council to think of
some measures for relieving him, and they promised to write to Your Honor, &c., about
it; but as I received a general letter from Gombroon, under date the 1st November, and
nothing of his affair mentioned in it, I believe the gentlemen forgot to write in my
behalf. The Hon'ble Company's allowance here is no more than Rupees Indian silver coin also widely used in the Persian Gulf. 50 per month
for diet and all other charges, whereas the single article of house-rent costs me more
than that sum. A linguist and chicianit is impossible for me to be without, which
cost me 45 telotas per month; and as I am frequently obliged to go to the Gov
ernment, I am obliged to keep some horses, so that with the utmost frugality I am
monthly at a considerable expense out of my own private fortune, which, I flatter
myself, Your Honor, &c., will think of relieving. Such a mark of favor would require
my constant endeavours to exert myself in the most diligent attendance of my office,
and I beg leave to offer assurances of my retaining a due gratitude for such an
obligation, being with uncommon respect.
50. On the 14th February 1740 the Chief in Council of the
Factory An East India Company trading post. at Gombroon addressed a letter 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.
recommending 1 that some increase might be made to the salary of the
Resident at Bussorah (then fixed at Rupees Indian silver coin also widely used in the Persian Gulf. 50 per mensem, inclusive of
diet money and all other charges). The following is an extract from
this letter:—
"We omitted to represent to Your Honor in Council in our last a mention made
by Mr. Dacresf in his letter of March last to the Hon'ble Court of Directors The London-based directors of the East India Company who dealt with the daily conduct of the Company's affairs. concerning
some addition being made to the Resident of Bussorah's allowances, which we take
the liberty to assure Your Honor in Council, from our own experience, is not in any
ways adequate to the unavoidable expense he must be at, especially for house-rent and
servants' wages, two very heavy articles, and that really deserve some redress, if Your
Honor in Council so please, and are so reasonable to be granted, that upon any other
condition we would not become advocates to such a request."
No reply can be traced to Mr. DorrilPs application, nor to the above
recommendation of the Chief in Council at Gombroon; but it must
Bussohah,
The \hth January 1740.
" Hon'ble Sir and Sirs,
" Your most obedient, &c.,
" (Sd.) Thomas Doeeill."
* Vide preceding paragraph,
f One of the Council at Gombroon.