Page 11 - Gulf Precis (I-A)_Neat

[ III ]

A few of the Selections aro reprinted from Forrest’s Selections, which con­
tain, however, a meagre collection concerning Persian affairs. About 26 of the
extracts are reprinted from the Bombay Government Prdcis in regard to
Turkish Arabia, mentioned above, in which all the oxtracts except one have
been adapted to our modern mode of spelling. This accounts for the fact that
the Selections aro intermixed with extracts that bear the stamp of spelling
followed at the present day.
The letters and extracts printop in this volume are numbered consecutively
with Roman numerals, which aro also shown in the Summary.
Wo might draw attention hero to the following appendices printed at
the end of the Selections :—
Appendices A—E.—Farmans and statements of farinans, etc.
Appendices F, G and H.—Important reports on the Commerce with
Persia and Arabia.
Appendix /.—List of Company’s Agents.
Appendix /.—Glossary of words.
The list A collection of translations of farmans dating from June 1627 to
July 1629, given by the Persian Kings and Governors, which appears to have
been sent by the Agent in Persia to the Company, is printed as Appendix E to
the Selections.
From a letter, dated 21th February 1766, addressed by the Agent and
Council, Gombroon, to the President and Counoil, Bombay, it appears that a
translation of all important Persian grants and Phirmaunda was forwarded to
the Presidency in 1766; but no traoo of this can bo found in the Bombay
records at present. From paragraph 218 of the Bombay Government’s despatch
to the Court of Directors, dated 8th April 1768, it is evident that a translation
of' all the important grants and Phirmaunds obtained in the East India
Company’s favour relative to the Bombay Presidency and its subordinates
was forwarded to the East India office in 1758, including it is presumed the
Persian Grants and Phirmaunds. This collection cannot, however, it is
reported, be found in the India Offioe records.
The history of the East India Company’s connection with the Persian
Gulf divides itself with the following periods, which aie indicated in the
Summary
I— 1600—1613.—The preparatory period, when attempts were made by
Sir Robert Sherley to induce the British, particularly the East
India Company, to open tr ade with Persia, and the proposals on
this subject were discussed.
II— 1614.—1617.—The period when the first steps were taken to open
this trade, which ended with Edward Connook, obtaining the
first important grant of our commercial privileges in Persia.
The progress of Connock’s mission was considerably obstructed
by his second Barker, who was greatly responsible for the 8US-
pioions and fears with which Sir Thomas Roe regarded the mis­
sion. The bickerings between Connook and Barker and the
misapprehensions of Sir Thomas Roe gave rise to much corre­
spondence, which throws Bide lights into the state of Persia and
the enterprising spirit and character of the pioneers of the Bri­
tish commercial enterprise in Persia.