'Selections from State Papers, Bombay, regarding the East India Company's Connection with the Persian Gulf, with a Summary of Events, 1600-1800' [‎259r] (517/540)

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shortly after broke out in that quarter prevented its being carried at least on the part of
the Company to any great extent. In 1763 a factory An East India Company trading post. was established at Bushire under
articles of agreement with Sheik Soddoom and confirmed by a Royal grant from Carim Caun
but we do not find that any considerable trade was established. Great part of what had
been carried on from India immediately with Persia seems to have been transferred to Muskat,
which is very conveniently situated for a dep6fc of goods intended for the Grulph when an
unsettled state of Government renders it hazardous to risk property in the country. From
a judicious encouragement given by Imaum at that port he has brought it to a degree of
consequence, it would without that and the above circumstances never have attained. The
Imaum himself has now a fleet consisting (it is said) of twelve sail of 500 tons each and
upwards, besides a great number of dows and dingeys, etc., which, though many of them
are armed he employs occasionally on voyages to different parts of India, and up the Gulph ;
ships of different nations carry to this port the merchandize required for the consumption of
Persia which is purchased by Muscat merchants, and by them again transported in small
vessels or boats to the Persian Shore.
The turn that the trade has taken, renders it exceedingly difficult to form an estimate
of the quantity of goods now imported into or exported from Persia, or to distinguish them
from those of the ports on the Arabian side of the Qulph. The Bombay Custom House
book class under one head the trade to Muscat and the two Gulphs which includes and the
Red Sea. And as duties are only collected on imports, the export entry does not express
either weight or value. No. 17 of the Appendix shews, however, a considerable increase in
the imports of the last three years, and which has been occasioned entirely by an increased in
the trade to Muskat and the Persian Gulph for the failure from the crop of coffee in those
years, presented any considerable imports from Mocha, but this increase was chiefly in the
import of copper. The Right Honourable the Governor-General in Council having in
] 789 expressed himself solicitous, to be informed of the state of the trade in the western
part of India and the Gulph of Persia and Arabia. Mr. Charles Watkins, the Resident at
Bushire, collected a very full and particular account of the import at that place, which we
have copies into the Appendix No. 19 * as also the report of the Resident and factor at
Bussora, No. 20.t
The following general articles seem now to constitute the trade to Muscat and the
Persian Gulph.
From Surat, Grzerat and Cutch. —Piece goods, coarse, of different colours principally
blue dooties and chints, also silk piece goods, cotton, rice, wheat and badjeree.
From Bombay. —Broad cloth, long ells, iron, steel, tutinague, coarse China sugar,
sugar candy, lepper stick lac One lakh is equal to one hundred thousand rupees indigo, cardamums, cloves turmerick, dry ginger, cassia,
nutmegs and mace.
From Bengal. Svivax, rice, white and coloured piece goods.
From Masuli])atam.~Oh .\VLis,
The native merchants report the whole of these articles excepting broad cloth and long
ells to be advantageous articles of trade.
Aga Mahomed Behebany, Agent of Mehedi Ally Caun, the present Resident at Bushire,
has furnished us with an annual estimate of supplies from India to the Persian market and
from Persia to India which we have copied into the Appendix No. 21. By this it appears that
the annual consumption of Indian articles in Persia amounts to 5133,00,000 and the exports
to R9,60,000, including pearl, but omitting copper, which we believe now comes chiefly
from Bussora, and respecting which we have given No. 22 Extract of our address from the
Bombay Custom Master, containing the best information we have been able to collect on the
subject.
On the last point, and what we consider the principal one referred, the means of
increasing the trade, these we apprehend rest chiefly with the King of Persia, or rather with the
2578 F. D.
• Not traceable,
f Appendix X.