Page 156 - Gulf Precis (I-A)_Neat

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LXII.
PUBLIC DEPARTMENT DIARY No. 26—1762.
Bombay Casti.k, June 12tu, 1762.
Gombroon, L from. Reooivod a letter from the Agent and Council at Gombroon dated 24,tli
February enclosing Duplicate of their last and acquainting us that some time
Muir Kb*n,Ch>«f
I*r«. attics • Chlof of L*ra. after the Mamoocjy’s Departure, One
Gombroon. Hi* Nasseer Caun * had corao down there
oppremion.
and seized on Moola Ali Shaw, his Ship Funiiiy and all his valuable effects and
1
Factory, daily plundered all tho wealthy inbabitauts, extorting monoy from thorn by
Torture, and that one of them had died under their tortures a few days before.
That after Nasseer Caun had possessed himself of the Fort, he made them a
visit at the Factory where he professed a great deal of Friendship for them and
acquainted them, he would appoint auy one Governour, whom they should
nominate which the Agent had evaded, as genteoly as possible; That as he
acknowledged uoSuporiour, they had boon obliged to make him and his Officers
a present to the amouut of 100 Toiuauuds, and that tho’ bo had taken upwards
of 80 tomans from the Factory Baniaus, they thought it most advisable to say
nothing of it, as he had taken above six times that sum from the Dutch. That
from these instances of his opperession, they were afraid he might seud to
borrow money nr goods of them before lie went, when it would be to no purpose
to refuse him, unless they resolved to leave the Factory, which would be
attended with a much greater loss as the goods in warehouse and on board the
Rose Galley, were more than any common ship could carry and that it would
be rash to attempt defending it against him who had all tho country under his
Command and could soon bring them thro’ want of water and Provisions to bis
Own terms; That the kingdom was farther than ever from being under any
regular Government, Every Province being under subjection to a different
people, who are independent of one another, and that therefore they humbly
presume it would be more for the Hon’hle Company’s interest to removo to one
of the adjacent Islands, such as Kisbme or Angar, and beg leave to lay before
us the advantages that would accrue therefrom. First that our property would
be secure without the expense of presents to every new Persian Governour,
which for many years past had amounted to a large sum annually. That that
security would bring many merchants to reside there under our proteotion, so
that the Customs alone would in a few years be sufficient to maintain a garri­
son, and the profits on trade remain a clear gain, That they apprehend our
greatest objection to removing, would be the relinquishing the Factory, nfter
its having cost 60 much money to which they answered that as it would require
two ships and 300 soldiers to settle them, they could easily with their assistance
remove all the usefull timber from thence which would be almost sufficient for
their new habitation. That a great expense in building Gombroon Factory
was the bringing stones and mortar, from Kishme and Ormus, whereas it was
found by experience that bricks dried in the sun, answer as well and turn out
a great deal cheaper. That for many years past, the merchants had complained
of the great oppressions of the Government, which convinces them they would
come and settle under the Company’s protection, and that then every petty
Governour, where they landed their goods, thro’ the hopes of accumulating all
the profit to himself would treat them with great civility, whereas now the
sbawbunders or customhouse Officers, without fixing any percentage on goods
exacted frequently 16 or 17 per cent. That this Difference to Merchants would
certainly establish the center of all Trade between Muscatt and Bussorah of
that Settlement.