'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' [‎64r] (129/226)

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. 1646 TO 1846.
97
216. On the 29th January 1808 the Resident at Bussorah for
warded to Government translation of a Consulary Birat whieh had been
granted in the year 1763* by the Sublime Porte to Mr. Robert Garden,
then Resident at Bussorah. This Birat, Mr. Manesty stated, had a few
years before been confirmed in his own name by the deceased Sultan
Selim on the application of the Rig-ht Hon'ble the Earl of Elgin, when
Ambassador at Constantinople, but that he had mislaid the document
containing this confirmation. This Birat was forwarded to Government
iii reply to a call made upon Mr. Mauesty to do so, in consequence of
his having- made frequent allusion thereto, and no report having been
made to Government by Mr. Garden at the time it was granted by the
Sublime Porte or subsequently by the succeeding Residents at Bussorah.
This Birat was to the following effect:—
" In these times the English Ambassador residing at our Court, Henry' Nevile,
Esquire, has presented to us a formal memorial to the following effect: that the Envoy at
Aleppo, Alexandria, Tripoli in Syria, the Grenan Islands towns, Tripoli in Barbary,
Laker, bmyrna, and Egypt, and all the other considerable towns, having scales or ports
in our dominions, may have the power of appointing Consuls of their own nation,
and in the event of their choosing to change any of them and appoint others in their
room, that no person may be permitted to interfere or prevent such an arrangement.
Now, be it known that former agreements have established this, moreover it appears
that before the present period the East India Company had sent a person to Bussorah,
by name William Shaw, Esquire, to represent them and to superintend their affairs,
who was not possessed of any Consulary Birat, but at the expiration of his period of
service and his removal they appointed in his room the bearer of these Royal letters,
liobert Garden, Esquire, who was also furnished with a Commission from the Company ;
now, according to the tenor of former engagements, as well as in compliance with the
wishes of the Ambassador, it became proper and necessary to deliver the Birat in
question into his hands. We have accordingly consigned to him our Royal Diploma.
" According to what we have written the aforesaid Robert Garden, Esq., is con
stituted British Consul, under the regulations to be here explained by us, as well in
regard to his latitude of action, as the conduct to be observed towards him :—
" I«^. - He is a nominated and appointed Consul at Bussorah.
" "Ind. —He shall have full and sole power of taking cognizance of all affairs con
cerning those of the nation to which he belongs, such as Captains of ships, merchants,
and also all who may be under the protection of the English flag, all matters relating
to the above are to be under his peculiar care.
" Without his written order no English vessel shall be permitted to come to
Bussorah. The servants of the Consul shall not be subject to the poll-tax or an3"
other species of tax tribute. Their butchers shall not pay any duty, and in fine
the aforesaid description of persons must be protected from any kind of contri
bution. In the event of their purchasing male and female slaves, they shall also
be exempted from the abovementioned duties. No person shall interfere in respect to
their furniture, their eatables, or drinkables, for these have been privileges of old
standing, such articles, too, shall be free from customs. No person shall dare to
imprison or put in fetters the Ambassador, the Consul, or their Agents, neither shall
they seal up their houses; and should the Consuls, where they reside, have with them
a military detachment and wish to place them in separate houses, let none molest them
for so doing.
" We repeat that their male and female servants are to be exempted from taxes,
as are their butchers from duties. All which exemptions are of old.
" In the event of the Consul conceiving himself aggrieved, or any person having
cause of complaints against him, we, in conformity to former agreements, hereby
* f his Consulary Birat differs very materially from the •'Birat" granted by the
" Porte on the 29th August 1764. Vide paragraphs 107 and 108, pages 43 and 44 of
this Summary.