"دليل الخليج. مجلد I. القسم التاريخي. الأجزاء Iأ و Iب. ج.ج. لوريمر ١٩١٥" [‎١‎٢‎٦‎٣] (١٧٨٢/١٤١٨)

1263
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'itt
tOUTCi
ffiole i &"
Shaikh Nasir, they went on board a native vessel in such haste that
they delegated to the Resident at Bushehr the duty of reporting
their movements to the Government of Bombay; but^ after their
embaikation, a contrary wind detained them in the harbour until the
morning of the 5th of May. The records and papers of the Basrah
Agency were left provisionally at Bushehr, where it was thought they
would be safer, for the time being, than at Basrah. On reaching their
destination the two gentlemen were able to report that " they found
'' the Hon'ble Company's factory in excellent order, that Sadoo Caun
expressed himself willing to show the English every indulgence,
u that his people had shown particular respect to the Agent in Council,
"and that the first appearance of things was so flattering that, if
they had not been acquainted with the Persian character, they would
have formed a most pleasing opinion of their future prospects under
" the Persian rule at Basrah/' This happy state of matters may
perhaps be attributed, in part at least, to the favourable disposition
of Mirza Muhammad Husain, the chief adviser of Sadiq Khan, who
used his influence with his master for the protection of such individuals
as were recommended to him by the Agency; and so desirous was
Sadiq Khan at first of standing well with the British that on one
occasion he assured Mr. Latouche, upon whom the duties of Agent had
devolved,^ that, though the British Factory was the only edifice in
Basrah fit for his own occupation, 'he would not reside in it, if the
walls were made of gold."
Moderation, however, soon ceased to distinguish the new government
of Basrah, and by the beginning of June a heavy sum had already been
assessed upon the town by Sadiq Khan as a contribution. The duty
of collecting the money was delegated by the Persian officials to the
leading citizens,—an arrangement which caused the demand to fall
oppressively upon many who were ill able to pay, for the principal object
of the collectors was naturally to save their own pockets. The Persians
after this had recourse to compulsion in carrying out various other
measures; and the British Agency began to be regarded by the people of
Basrah as the only vindicator of their liberties and the sole remaining
check upon the rapacity of their new rulers.
Antagonism between the Agency and the local Persian authorities
was u., natural outcome of these conditions; and in September 1776
in consequence of the forcible arrest by Sadiq Khan's agents of some
native merchants who had taken refuge in the Factory,-a proeeedine
Which was reg tided by the British a. a grave violation of tteir Z
Administra
tion of Bas
rah by the
Persians and
their rela
tions with the
British
Agency,
1776—79,
September
1776.