"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" [ظ‎‎٤‎٤] (٢٢٦/٩٠)

58 PRECIS OF INFORMATION REGARDING CONNECTION OF E. 1. COMPY.
purchase goods. I think that, for the good of my country, the caravan must now be
despatched directly to Aleppo from hence. If you have therefore prepared a caravan
I beg of you to put a stop to it that the goods may go this way.
" I he"- of you to consider on some proper method of getting up to Bussorah the
goods brought to Muscat by the Benishroff and Alasoor fleets, as it will conduce much
to the good of trade in my country."
135. Mr. Moore returned the following answer to the Paeha,
dated the 20th February 1774:—
« I have been honored with Your Excellency's letter by the return of our Mussaleem
Soliman Aga's Chocadar, and am very much pleased to find that I still possess your
friendship and good opinion. You may be assured I will always endeavour to cultivate
these and to render myself and countrymen agreeable to you and your (government.
Your Excellency will act regarding the caravan for Aleppo in such manner as seemeth
best unto you. What I wrote you on the subject was what I thought lor the good oi
vour country and for the commerce of this place in particular. As Your Excellency
however thinks it more for your interest that the caravan should proceed from Bagdad,
and not from Bussorah, I presume to urge nothing further on the subject. Kegarding the
two Turkish vessels it is not in my power to man them properly at present agreeable
to vour Mussaleem's request to me. When I wrote for them, they had only just stores
and lascars enough in them to bring them to Bussorah. I wrote however yesterday to
Bombay on the subject. When I receive the order of my superiors regarding it, i our
Excellency shall be immediately acquainted therewith in a day or two. However 1 wil
speak to your Mussaleem regarding this matter. I suppose your Mussaleem now writes
you regarding a request made by Currim Caun, the Vakeel of 1 ersia, lor the English
and Turkish ships to assist him in his war against the Muscat Arabs, a request your
Excellency must suppose that is not in my power. With respect to the English ships
to comply with, the Vakeel threatens in case his request is not granted to march down
his force and destroy Bassorah : this intelligence is confirmed to me by a letter written
thirteen days ago from Schiras by Messieurs Beaumont and Green and received by me
Yesterday. In my humble opinion therefore it behoves Your Excellency to order down
vour troops immediately for the defence of this place, and give orders to the difterent
tribes of Arabs to march down to the banks of this river to prevent the 1 ersians
from landing on this side of it. The sooner this is done the better, as Bussorah accord
ing to my notions is in no state of defence whatever. W as it not for my apprehen
sions of the Persians coming down, and of the plague s breaking out again in
the spring, it would be very easy for me to send down a cruizer to Muscat in
order to convey up the trade from that place ; but according to the present unfavor
able appearance of things, the English cruizers, I am much afraid, will have
other employment. As I have reason for thinking that much merchandise is passed
at the Bagdad Custom House in my name, to the very great prejudice of your
revenue and my honor, I hope liour Excellency will issue the propei oiders
to the officers of your Customs on this subject, in order that they may permit no
goods whatever to pass there as English property without a certificate from me certify
ing that it is so. I beg of Your Excellency to take these matters into your serious con
sideration and I pray God for your honor and prosperity."
136. In a letter dated the 23rd April 1774, the Agent in Council
at Bussorah communicated the following information to the Bombay
Government:—
" The Pacha seems very sensible of your honor in Council s friendship towards
him in sending him so readily the two vessels which he requested, and of the benefit
and security that our factory and ships are to Bussorah. He consequently seems inclined
to grant us every indulgence in his power, and we have great reason to be satisfied
with his conduct towards us. As a mark of distinction he has sent a present of a horse
and furniture to the Agent, and has granted permission at the Agfnt s request for a
caravan's proceeding across the desert directly to Aleppo ; it will depart; in about a
month another has arrived within these few days from thence; and as there is no hopes
of a peace betwixt the Turks and Persians being shortly concluded from a new Sultan
Huleem having lately succeeded to the Turkish throne on the death of his brother
Mustapha, as there is not the least appearance of the plague either here or at Bagdad,
we have a pleasing prospect of a recovering commerce. '