'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' [‎72v] (146/226)

114 PRECIS OF INFORMATION REGARDING CONNECTION OF E. I. COMPY.
as there is the least chance that my presence may he a protection or even a comfort to
them, and I will accept of no plan of liberation which will not provide equally for the
safety of the numerous dependants, who have rendered themselves obnoxious to the
Pacha by their connection with the Residency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, established in the provinces and regions considered part of, or under the influence of, British India. . I rely on Government for relief or
revenge."
251. On receipt of the above intellig-enee, the Hon^ble Mr. Elphin-
stone, then Governor of this Presidency The name given to each of the three divisions of the territory of the East India Company, and later the British Raj, on the Indian subcontinent. , addressed the following letter,
dated the 12th May 1821, to the Pacha of Bagdad:—
"I have heard with the greatest surprize of the obstruction offered by Your
Highness to the departure of the British Resident from Bagdad, such a measure
towards a public minister would have been inconsistent with the practice of all civi
lized nations even after a declaration of war, and in a state of friendship such as now
subsists between His Majesty the King of Great Britain and the Sublime Porte, the
outrage is altogether without example.
" The good understanding which the British Govei*nment in India has always
been anxious to cultivate with Your Highness would rather have led it to expect a
continuance of attention and hospitality from you towards its Agent. After the pitch
to which things have come, it is needless to recur to the original ground of dispute ;
but I must observe that on your increasing the established duty on goods imported by
British merchants, the British (iovernment was certainly at full liberty to continue
or leave off the trade with your Government, as it thought was best for the interests
of its subjects. On the other hand, if Your Highness had any reason to complain of
any part of the demands of Mr. Rich, you could at any time have obtained redress by
applying to this Government or to the supreme Government in Bengal.
" It is not, however, my intention to go into any further discussion of that ques
tion now, nor indeed will it be in my power to carry on any negotiation with Your
Highness, until I am convinced that the obstructions to the departure of the British
Resident have been entirely removed. I have therefore addressed positive instructions
to Mr. Rich to leave Bagdad without delay ; and I rely on Your Highness' affording
every facility to that gentleman in carrying the orders of his Government into effect.
When I shall receive accounts of the arrival of Mr. Rich with his suite and all the
persons under the protection of the British Residency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, established in the provinces and regions considered part of, or under the influence of, British India. at such place as he may fix on
beyond the Pachalic of Bagdad, I shall be prepared to point out the steps which
I think necessary for restoring the friendship that has hitherto so happily subsisted
between Your Highness and the British Government in India. )
" If, contrary to Your Highness' usual wisdom, you should be led by desperate
counsellers to prevent the departure of the British Resident, his suite and dependents,
from Bagdad, 1 beg to apprize Your Highness that I shall henceforth consider him
as a prisoner in your hands; and that the power which he has hitherto exercised will
be transferred to another officer beyond the limits of the Pachalic, to whom instruc
tions to that effect have been sent, the British Government will then look to the justice
of the Sublime Porte and to its friendship for His Britannic Majesty for justice and
redress, in the meantime adopting such local measures to assert its character as the
crisis may seem to require. I doubt not that Your Highness' wisdom will lead you to
foresee the consequences of a line of conduct equally inconsistent with hospitality and
good faith, and one which must render impossible any further communication between
Your Highness and every independent State. I confidently rely on a return of the
friendly disposition that has hitherto guided you, and I trust that the present unplea
sant dissensions may speedily terminate in a manner consistent with the alliance which
has subsisted between the Great Monarchs, our respective Sovereigns, a.nd with the
special friendship which has existed between Your Highness and the British Govern
ment in India. "
252. A letter was on the same day (12th May 1821) also addressed
by the Hon'ble Mr. Elphinstone to the Right Hon'ble Viscount Strang-
ford, His Majesty's Ambassador at Constantinople, informing Ilis Lord
ship of the Pacha's proceedings, and suggesting that His Lordship
should demand from the Sultan the immediate release of Mr. Rich, and
full and public reparation for the insult which the Pacha had offered to