"ملخّص يحتوي على معلومات بشأن الاتصال الأول لشركة الهند الشرقية مع الجزيرة العربية التركية، طالما أمكن تتبع ذلك من سجلات حكومة بومباي، بالإضافة إلى أسماء العديد من المقيمين البريطانيين والوكلاء السياسيين الذين عُينوا في بغداد والبصرة في الفترة بين ١٦٤٦ و ١٨٤٦ ميلادي، وبمرافقة معلومات أخرى" [و‎‎٢‎٤] (٢٢٦/٤٩)

WITH TURKISH ARABIA 1646 TO 184-6.
17
desist from their demands of the arrears of customs; and told them as soon as he had
taken Bagdad, he would grant our gentlemen a renewal of all their ancient privileges.
They moreover advise us that they had ordered Mr. Geekie, in case the Turks should
march to Ispahan, to retire to Gombroon with all the Company's ragoms, books,
papers, and valuable moveables, but not to quit the city until they were sure of their
being near. The troubles at Bussorah occasioned by the neighbourhood of the Persian
Army has, they say, prevented a bale of goods being landed out of any of the ships, so
that there will be little or no consulage this season."
43. The Agent in Council at Gombroon in a further letter, dated
the 20th September 1734, stated that in their last advices from the
Resident at Bussorah they had been informed that—
" Thomas Caun, after making a magnificent entry into that city (spreadings being
laid in the same manner as for the king), gave audience to a Turkish Envoy, and pre
sented him with a callat and two hundred tomans in money, which minister, on his
taking leave, publicly declared that the Grand Seignior would never consent to a peace
unless Shaw Thomas was again set upon the throne. Thomas Caun made answer that
he designed it, and had already sent for him, but he only ordered the king should be
removed from Mazandroon to another palace."
44. The following entry occurs in the Diary of the Bombay
Government for the 6th October 1735 :—
" The Persia advices, received by the Robert, are now read, which gives us a very
melancholy account of the state of affairs in that kingdom ; and as the gentlemen by
remaining on shore would have more immediately exposed themselves to the resentment
of Thomas Caun, and they might have also been surprised when the prisoners would
have insisted on such terms that we could on no account comply with, whereas by
their retiring this evil will not only be prevented, but the Persians, convinced of our
resolution to leave the kingdom when we can no longer remain there with credit, and
the clamours of the merchants, may have such an effect as to induce Thomas Caun to
believe our continuance is of service to the kingdom, and to hearken to a considerable
treaty for fixing of our privileges, we think the proceeding of the gentlemen on this
occasion to be prudent and well calculated to avoid the evils as well as obtain the
advantages proposed. But as they are of opinion that the Persians are fully bent upon
a second expedition against Bussorah, and that Thomas Caun will insist upon our
assisting him by sea against the Turks, and that he will be pacified on no other terms,
we are apprehensive that the Agent, arriving there in the Queen Caroline during this
confused situation of our affairs, may be at a great loss how to proceed at so critical a
conjuncture; and as it is possible the Queen Caroline may not yet have passed by this
port in her passage to Persia, the President proposes despatching a boat in quest of
her, with positive orders to Captain Wilkie to return into this road, and that copy of
the Persia advices be sent to Mr. Cockell, that, being apprized of the state of affairs, his
experience may furnish us with helps for giving the necessary orders on this important
occasion, proposing to send him to Gombroon as soon as possible after his arrival; but
should the boat not meet with the Queen Caroline, and she have proceeded on her
vo _y a g e ! it will be proper to despatch a vessel to Gombroon towards the latter end of
this month, with such instructions as shall then seem necessary to be given, which,
being entirely agreeable to the opinion of the several members, is unanimously agreed
45. On the 9th October 1735 the Governor in Council, Bombay,
wrote letters to the Presidencies of Bengal and Fort St. George, inform
ing them of the unsettled state of affairs as described in the foregoing
extract, and requesting, therefore, that they would not, pending further
advices, despatch any ships from either of those Presidencies to Bussorah,
" ^ ie Persians/' it was observed, " seeming resolved upon a second
attempt upon it."
46. On the 22nd October 1735 a Special Council was held by the
Bombay Government for the purpose of determining upon the measures
which it would be proper to adopt as regarded the Hon'ble Company's