Page 97 - Gulf Precis(II)_Neat

75 Part IV—-Chap. XXII.

CHAPTER XXII.

RESIDENTS AT BUSIIIllE, 1801—1800.
175. Meluli Ali Khan, a Persian gcntloman of rank, and a wealthy Mehdi ah Kk<m,
merchant, who had attracted in India the attention of Mr. Duncan by his ButMrt,
abilities and influence, and attachment to the British, was rewarded with the17
latter’s friendship and ultimately with the appointment of Resident at Bushire
in 1798. The Persian amply justified the appointment by inducing the Imam
of Maskat to sign in 1798 the Koulnama, the first of our treaties with that
chief, by his successful mission to the Court of Persia and increase of our
trade in Persia. One defect in liis character was what Malcolm calls his
“ mendacity,” which lie however employed as much in the interests of the British
Sarkar as in his own.
176. In 1801, while Malcolm was still at the Court of the Shah, Mehdi Secret and Poll.
Ali Khan was employed by the Bombay Government on a mission to Mocha, nJJ iot^Tisoi
and during his absence the following arrangements were made by him for P. i283.
managing the Bcsidency affairs:—
Ho appointed Omdutettejaur, Aka Mahomed Jafar, Zabatteteojar Aka
Mahomed Hossein, and Khoja Aratoon, to take care of and protect the property
of the Company, with instructions to pay the utmost and most unremitted
attention to the details of their service. Omdutettejaur being to exercise the
duties of Neabut or of Deputyship and Zubdutettejaur those of Wuzarut of
Stewardship, and Khoja Aratoon those of Tehveel dauree, i.e., to hold the
immediate charge and custody of all the articles, whether of money or goods.
It was incumbent on them to exert themselves in the sales of the latter, as soon
as the alarm about the plague was dissipated, considering the prices the same as
those of the previous year and not liable to the variation of a single deenar. It
would greatly redound to their credit if they should be able to prooure the vend
of a considerable quantity of the goods previous to his return; and in the event
of the plague reaching Bushire they were to transport the Company’s goods to
wherever the property and families of Mullukettejaur, Haji Kheleel and of
Haji Ismail might be removal to, and remain deposited. "With respect to the
delivery of the goods that should have been sold, it was necessary that the
authority and order for all issues of this kind be given conjointly to the sepoys,
from all the three persons above named; and all receipts from the merchants of
the prices of the goods which were to be carefully recovered as they fall due—
must be immediately lodged under the charge of Khoja Aratoon in the Treasury,
over which the Company’s sepoys must day and night remain constantly
stationed as sentinels, and each of the three persons above named were to keep
accounts of the receipt of all sums of money on account of the Sarkar; as long
as Captain Malcolm remained in Persia, whatever requisition he might make,
or order he might issue, were to be considered as those of Government itself,
and every attention paid that not a hair’s breadth of deviation take place in the
execution of any of his commands; every Sunday from sun rise to sun set the
flag was to remain hoisted and whenever any ship appeared in the offing, dis­
playing the English colours, it was to be immediately answered by the hoisting
of the Residency, and on the three festival days, viz., Christmas, Hew Year’s
day and His Majesty tho King of Greftf Britain’s Birthday, tho usual
ceremonies were to be observed and the accustomed gratuities be bestowed on
the sepoy8, etc.
177. The following order was passed by the Bombay Government in regard
to tho above arrangements on April 1801
Tho Nawaub is by my orders now setting out for Molt ha where he will be absent two or
three montlis; you will continue, until his return, to act exactly according to the written
instructions ho has left with you, and use every endeavour to dispose of the greatest quantity
possible of the Honourable Company’s goods, a circumstance that will redound much to your
credit and reputation hereafter.
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