"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" [و‎‎٤‎٥] (٢٢٦/٩١)

WITH TURKISH ARABIA —1646 TO 1846.
59
137. On the 14th December 1774, the Agent at Bussorah addressed
the following 1 letter to the Pacha: —
" The accounts that I have received here of the late hostilities that have taken
place in Coordistan between the troops of Your Excellency and the troops of Currira
Caun, the Vakeel of Persia, and the warlike preparations that I also learn Currim
is making induce me to suspect the Caun may have some designs against Bus
sorah. Under this suspicion I think it my duty to inform you that Bussorah
is at present in a most defenceless state, as well with respect to its fortifications,
as to its artillery, and what I think still more important, there appears to me
to he scarcely any soldiers in the town, and I wish the few that may be in it
may be depended upon. It behoves me therefore to recommend these important
matters to Your Excellency's consideration, and to request you would imme
diately order down a proper number of troops to secure the place should Caun
carry his menaces against it into execution. My design is to embark on board the
English cruizers, with all the English gentlemen that are at present at Bussorah, and
continue in the river until I know the result of Currim Caun's operations. I intended
also to have shipped off all the Company's property, and the property of all the English
merchants, but as your Mussaleem has informed me that my doing this would be the
ruin of the place, because it would occasion all the inhabitants to leave it, I have
therefoie desisted, as your Mussaleem, the Dufterdar, and Sheikh Dervisehave engaged,
in your and the Sultan's name, amply to indemnify the India Company and all the
English merchants at Bussorah for whatever losses they may sustain by their being pre
vented from shipping off such effects as they may at present have laying in their ware
house at Bussorah."
138. In a despatch dated the 1st February 1775, the Agent in
Council communicated the following intelligence to the Hon'ble the
Court of Directors :—
" In our last respects we informed your Honors of the defeat of the Persians by the Pacha's
troops in Coordistau ; we informed you also that it was generally expected that Currim Caun
would endeavour to revenge it on the Turks either by an attack on Bagdad or Bussorah, and 4
that as the latter lay more open to his attacks it was thought thjy would first be directed
against it. Whilst the inhabitants of Bussorah were in this suspense, the Chaub's people
(in revenge for the execution of an Arab of that tribe punished by the Mussaleem for
robbery in Bussorah) for several nights together came up the river in small boats,
entered the town in parties, robbed and plundered the houses, and towards the morning
retired with their booty. The Mussaleem to put a stop to those disorders increased his
guards by a pai*ty of Arabs from Zebier hired on purpose, and obliged the inhabitants
to watch in several parts of the town; their numbers however were too small, and the
town too extensive. Notwithstanding all his care the Chaub's people still committed the
same disorders ; they even attempted to burn the bazar, and several times beat off the
guards who were sent to oppose them. The Turks from these circumstances were
convinced of their own weakness, and began seriously to consider the consequences of
being attacked by the Persians and Chaub. When they were not in a capacity of securing
the town from being plundered by the latter alone their apprehensions of Curim
Caun consequently increased and induced the Mussaleem with Sheikh Dervise and the
Dufterdar to pay a visit under the 13th ultimo to the Agent at the factory. After
many professions of friendship to the Agent and English in general from the Pacha
and Mussaleem, after observing as a proof there of the Pacha having directed the
Mussaleem to consult the Agent on all material points in which the Pacha's interests
and the prosperity of Bussorah were concerned, the Mussaleem requested his advice on
the then uncertain posture of affairs between the Turks and Persians, and the proba
bility of Curim Caun's attacking this place. He requested to know also what were
the Agent's intentions, and how the English would act in such a case; the Agent ac-
knowleged himself much obliged for the good opinion that the Pacha and Mussaleem
entertained of him, and as a proof of it said he would give the best advice that was in
his power. He observed to the Mussaleem the weak state of the town as well as with
respect to fortifications, artillery, or soldiers of which in his opinion the Pacha ought
immediately to be informed, and to be requested to send down as soon as possible from
3,000 to 4,000 men from Bagdad for the defence of it. In the meantime he recommended
to the Mussaleem to write to the Montifick Sheikh to hold his Arabs in readiness for
defending the banks of the river, and to employ people in Persia on whom he could