"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" [و‎‎٤‎٢] (٢٢٦/٨٥)

WITH TURKISH ARABIA —1646 TO 1846.
53
122. On the 22nd June 1769 the Agent at Bussorah addressed the
following letter to the Pacha of Bagdad, complaining in the instances
therein mentioned of the conduct previous to his removal of Hadjee
Soliman Aga, the (Turkish) Governor of Bussorah :—
" I have already taken the liberty of addressing my complaints to you, not only on
account of the insults which the English factory in particular have received from your
present Mussaleem here, Hajee Soliman Aga, but on account of his tyrannical proceed
ings relative to the Christian merchants in general. To these remonstrances, to my very
great surprise, I have hitherto received neither reply nor redress. How destructive to
your interests must be the continuation of Hadjee Soliman Aga at Bussorah, it is need
less to point out to you. The Armenian and other Christians, you may be assured, will
not continue long here; indeed, many of them would have left Bussorah some months ago
had not my entreaties with them prevented it. As to justice, your Governor knows it
not; his oppressions are general, nor can age or indigence be exempted from his cruelty
and rapacity. I do therefore again in the most earnest manner request of Your Excellency
to move Hadjee Soliman Aga, if not, you will drive us to measures that will be disagree
able to both. Give me leave to support my request by relating the following
circumstances which your Mussaleem has been guilty of within these seven days past:—
" ls£.—The permitting two of his servants who were attending him on horseback
to strike with clubs the horse on which was a gentleman belonging to me, and who was
at that time in company with me, complaint made ; no redress.
" 2ad. —The imprisoning and beating the porter of the English factory for no
other reason that I know of than because he was a Christian and a servant of that
factory.
" How great a violation these insults are of the most sacred treaties subsisting
between the Sublime Porte and my Royal Sovereign I submit to your consideration,
and in hopes of redress from you, 1 conclude myself with due respect."
123. In reply, the Pacha in a letter to Mr. Moore, dated 10th July
1769, stated as follows :—
" You write me the causes of your complaints against my Mussaleem, Hadjee
Soliman Aga, and three other persons. This is much against my inclinations, not only
on your account, but on account of the friendship between your King and mine. I now
write on the strongest manner to my Mussaleem on these points, and have directed him
to shew you all favor and friendship ; he is likewise ordered to give you every satisfaction
you can desire on account of the insults you have received at Bussorah, and you may
depend you will henceforward receive greater honors than have ever hitherto been
shewn you. Do not listen to every report that is made you. Depend on my friendship,
and be assured of my protection."
124. Previous, however, to the receipt of the above reply, the Mus
saleem had expressed himself desirous of being for the future on a
friendly footing with the Agent in Council at Bussorah, when he was
informed by Mr. Moore (the Agent) that before this could be accom
plished he must, without reservation, agree to the following conditions,
with the whole of which he complied :—
" —That proper persons should be sent to the Agent from the Mussaleem to
ask him pardon for the insult shewn him with imprisonment of one of the factory ser
vants, for the several other insalts which the English have received during his Mussa-
leemship, and to promise in his name a very different conduct towards us in future.
2nd. —That the Mussaleem should give us a Teskera or order on the Shah Bunder
for the payment of 20,000 Cruz on account of the country merchants' property landed at
the Goomrook from the Albion, Rumhald, and Drake, but that the Turkish customs on
all the English property and on all the country property on board them, sold by the
English, be paid by the said English into the Hon'ble Company's Treasury on
account of the Government."