"دليل الخليج. مجلد I. القسم التاريخي. الأجزاء Iأ و Iب. ج.ج. لوريمر ١٩١٥" [‎٤‎٠] (١٧٨٢/١٨٣)

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40
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Growth of the power of the Dutch in the Persian Gulf, 1628-53.
i • ■
Methods of
the Dutch
in Persia,
1628-37.
Dutch
factory, ex
emption from
customs, and
general pro-
greBs at
Bandar 'Ab
bas, 1638-41.
Dutch attack
on Qishm
and extortion
of privileges,
1645.
The disappearance of the Portuguese from the field did not, it should
be observed, relieve the English in the Persian Gulf from commercial
and political rivalry; for, as the power of the Portuguese declined, that
of the Dutch increased rapidly and became dangerous.
In Persia the Dutch, resorting to bribery and paying high prices
for Persian commodities, strove assiduously to oust the English from the
position that they had so painfully won; and in 1633 the Factors of
the East India Company did not venture to raise the question of a
fresh silk contract with the Shah, though one was desired, for fear that
they should be outbidden by the Dutch. There were also traitors in
the English camp. In 1637, on the death of Gibson, the English Agent
at Isfahan, it was discovered that he had actually been lending money
out of the funds of the East India Company to the Dutch, and so
enabling them to buy silk and generally to encroach upon English trade.
The speculative methods of the Dutch had, however, some disadvantages;
at this time they were in debt to Armenian merchants in Persia to
the extent of £100,000, and, as their stocks were deficient and they
failed to reduce their liabilities at the end of the season below £65,000,
a temporary embargo was placed, at the instance of the Armenians,
upon their exportation of silk.
In 1 608, the year in which Mandelslo visited Bandar Wbbas, the
Dutch as well as the English had a Factory there, the whole spice trade
was in their hands, and they had obtained an exemption from import
duty. In 1639-40 Dutch shipping and stock predominated at Bandar
Abbas; but the English Factors in Persia, unwilling to give way
to their rivals, postponed compliance with orders that they had received
to close the Company's establishment at Isfahan. In 1641 the
Hollanders, in their efforts to " engross " or monopolise the export trade
of Persia, were selling European goods in the country below cost price.
In 1645 the Dutch, whose object was now to make their influence
predominant in Persia by any means whatever, not excluding even
military force, sent a large fleet to the Gulf under Commodore Block.*
At Bandar Abbas a refund of 4,900 Tumans was demanded of the
See Biuces Annals, Vol. I, page 414. Tavernier (page 941 gives a somewhat
diffeient and more elaborate explanation of the Qishtu incident, but he was mis
informed as to the date.