"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" [و‎‎٣‎٣] (٢٢٦/٦٧)

WITH TURKISH ARABIA —164G TO 1846.
35
manding him for the above order. The Bashaw also addressed a letter to Mr. Shaw
expressing his concern at the Frenchman's impudence,"
and inviting him to pay him a visit at Bagdad, in order that he might
have an opportunity of rendering " his superior regard and esteem for the
English nation public to the world." Mr. Shaw excused himself from
accepting this invitation on the plea that the Hon'ble Company s
affairs prevented his leaving Bussorah at that period.
89. Shortly afterwards, however, Solyman Bashaw sent another
pressing invitation to Air. Shaw to visit him at Bagdad, and having sent
this invite by some special messengers, who had been ordered to escort
Mr. Shaw to Bagdad, he deemed it advisable to accept the invitation, and
accordingly proceeded to Bagdad, where, on his arrival on the 15th June
1759, he was received with marks of favour and distinction. During
Mr. Shaw's stay at Bagdad the Bashaw granted him a general phir-
man confirming all the rights and privileges previously enjoyed by the
" English." The following is an extract from Mr. Shaw's report on this
subject;—
" My last address waited Your Worshipful in Council by Captain Price of the Swal
low, since which time, at the repeated invitations of Solyman Bashaw, I have made a trip to
Bagdad, which I would gladly have excused; but he having sent down a particular
favorite of his to invite me, and after him another, and all the friends and well-wishers
of our nation, both officers and merchants at Bagdad, writing me more pressingly to
accept the Bashaw's invitation, whom they represented as inclined to do me every
favour I could demand, whereas on the reverse, a refusal must need disgust him, as he
had sent his particular favorite to invite and attend me up, and had even fitted up a
house and garden at Bagdad, and furnished it for my reception, and had sent orders
both to all the Turkish and Arab Governors and Shaiks in the way to treat me with
singular respect. This being the case, and the Bashaw and Kia repeating the most
pressing instances by letters one after another to see me a day sooner, and all the well-
wishers of our nation here (as well as at Oagdad as above mentioned) pressing me to
accept of this invitation, and at the same time receiving advices from my Attorney at
Hossein Bashaw's Court that without the immediate interposition of Solyman Bashaw
nothing could be recovered, and that other creditors were eating up the remains of
his fortune by phirman from Stambole, &c., presents to his officers; I say, this
being the case, and considering that the heats being fairly set in, I had little hopes
to clear the warehouses of the Hon'ble Company's woollens before the approach of the
cold weather, and as to despatches I was there in the way to forward them with
more care and expedition, whether to or from Europe, I was at last prevailed on to
set out, attended by the officer whom the Bashaw had sent to invite me, and 1 happily
arrived at Bagdad the latter end of June, where, as well as by all the officers in the
way, the most extraordinary marks of favour and distinction were shown me; and to do
honor to our nation, the Bashaw repeatedly on the way sent me letters of welcome,
and on my near approach ordered many of his officers of the greatest distinction, and
also of the troops and janizarees, to attend me in my entrance into that city, and by
his daily invitation and compliments, each day exceeding another, was I detained till
the middle of August, and in short had such public honors and favours conferred on
me as has rejoiced the friends, and confounded the enemies, of our nation, particularly
the French, the ill-behaviour of whose Resident here was in some respect the original
cause of this invitation, as Your Worshipful, &c., will see by copy of my address to the
Hon'ble Company under date the 18th April last, to which I beg leave to refer you as the
letter book for last year goes enclosed. The Bashaw has favoured me with a general
phirman confirming all the rights and privileges enjoyed by the English, even in
Stambole, by which means our private trade will be cleared of many impositions here,
and no further shawbuudees or other fees to be collected of the shipping, which amounts
to between three and four hundred Cruzrais for every ship, great or small, no further
marbar charges, nor uctosobs (a large duty for exporting goods up-country), and this
for ever excludes the ships' presents, and further enables to send over cloth up to
Bagdad (should the Hon'ble Company at any time choose it) custom free, or to supply
the merchants there on the same terms as we do at Bussorab, the risque only to be