'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' [‎44r] (89/226)

WITH TURKISH ARABIA A term used by the British officials to describe the territory roughly corresponding to, but not coextensive with, modern-day Iraq under the control of the Ottoman Empire. —1640 TO 1846.
57
the 5th January 1774, when they found that the plague had disappeared.
The total loss of life from this disease at Bussorah, and the villages around
it during the period of its prevalence, was estimated at about 2,00,000,
and in the whole of Turkish Arabia A term used by the British officials to describe the territory roughly corresponding to, but not coextensive with, modern-day Iraq under the control of the Ottoman Empire. at two millions.
138. On his return to Bussorah Mr. Moore, the Agent, addressed
the following letter to the Pacha of Bagdad (dated the 12th January
1774):—
I benefit by the first conveyance that offers for Bagdad to inform Your Excellency of
my return to this place under the 5th instant, and at the same time to assure you, I
rejoice not a little at finding you had escaped the plague which, during the course of the
last 12 months, has been inflicted on Your Excellency's dominions. Your Excellency can
be no stranger to the dreadful havock it has made in this city in particular, the
inhabitants almost all dead, those few that are remaining quite dispirited, and some of
the principal merchants amongst them, preparing to leave your country for ever, they
are induced to this not only from their apprehensions that the plague may again break
forth ; but from the oppressive and injurious treatment that they inform me they have
met with from the Government here during the eight months in which I have been
absent: money extorted from them by imprisoning their persons, and other proceedings
shocking to freedom and human nature, but more particularly so at a time of such a
general calamity as the late plague may be considered. Your Excellency is I hope a
stranger to the proceedings in question ; indeed I am confident you could not hear of
them, otherwise they woidd immediately have been put a stop to. The merchants here all
look up to me as their protector, and implore my influence with Your Excellency. I have
promised them the full force of it, and with that promise their fears seem somewhat to
have subsided. Permit me to recommend to Your Excellency's consideration that
Bussorah is a commercial town, and that no commerce can flourish, where the merchants
that live in it, live under oppression. With the best of Government it will take a
century for this city to recover ; how much therefore it is Your Excellency's interest to
treat the merchants with humanity I entirely submit to your own determination. The
five vessels that came hither from India with me, will, I hope, somewhat contribute to
raise the spirits of our drooping merchants, and conduce also to Your Excellency's
honor and interests. I am very happy in having brought with me the two which Your
Excellency commissioned me for, they are quite new, carry 14 guns each, are called the
'Tigris and Euphrates, and well calculated for the rivers that they are named after. I
wish ^ our Excellency could see them, because I am well convinced you would be pleased
with the manner in which your orders have been executed. It was not in my power,
before my departure from this place in April last, to obey your commands regarding a
caravan's proceeding immediately across from hence to Alleppo, but I now intend
doing it very shortly, as several merchants are come hither with goods for that purpose,
and a direct caravan will very much assist in recovering the commerce of this country :
the merchants here also are very urgent with me to get the order for a caravan renewed ;
I therefore hope for Your Excellency's immediate order for that purpose. The Governor
of Bombay directed me to salute Your Excellency on his part on my arrival, and to
assure you he has great pleasure in sending you the two vessels alreaay mentioned with
wishes, therefore, for Your Excellency's health and prosperity, I subscribe myself
respectfully, &c."
134. To the above communication the Pacha returned the following
reply, dated the 15th February 1774—
" I have received the letter you wrote me and am very glad to hear of your arrival
at Bussorah. Your anxiety for my health is very pleasing to me. Believe me I am equally
anxious for yours. On account the great hurry we are in, I cannot send you my usual
mark of favour upon your arrival, but I will do it by some other opportunity.
I am much obliged, and thank you much, for the two vessels that you have brought
me from Bombay. For the proper management of these vessels I must depend on you
and my Mussaleem During the eighteenth century this was the third most powerful official in Ottoman Iraq (after the Pasha and the Kiya). The title was given specifically to the Governor of Basra. and to employ them in such manner as you may think best for my
interest, by which means I hope the river will be kept clear, in order that the country
may benefit. The permission that I gave you in April last for the caravan to depart
from Bussorah to Aleppo, was on account of the sickness that raged at that time, and
because I thought it would be good for the merchants, but we are again all in good
health owing to the providence of God, and many merchants are now here ready to
H