Page 106 - Gulf Precis (1-B)_Neat

302
CCXVII.
Extract from a letter from the Agent and Council to the Governor in Council, dated 22nd
September 1776.
8»du Khu Situated ns we are at present, we consider ourselves as little better than
English privileges prisoners, the Bussora inhabitants regard our Factory as some security to them,
or at least as some check on the rapacity of the Persians, the Persians on their side
are sensible that it gives consequence to their Government, that it encourages
the inhabitants, to stay here, and that if they keep the Town they may reap great
advantages from our trade; it is not to be supposed therefore that they will consent
to our departure, when we want to leave the place, and the policy of the present
Government leads them to use compulsion when they think it necessary towards
carrying the point they have in view; to endeavour to convince them that force is
incompatible with commerce, especially in regard to us, might have succeeded for­
merly, but now would bo as difficult as to endeavour to convince them of the ab­
surdity of their religion. We are still in the greatest uncertainty as to the Inten­
tions of both Turks and Persians regarding this place—advices from Bagdat dated
about thirty days ago mention that Abdulla (the present Bacha) had received a
large supply of money from Constantinople, and was making preparations for war,
at the same time it is said that Caravans pass as usual between Schyras and Bagdat,
and the Persians here report that a peace has been nearly concluded.

CCXVIII.

A Extract from a despatch from the Agent and Council at Basrah to the Court of Directors, dated
u
the 23rd February 1777.
Alleged oppression In our last respects of the 24th ultimo we informed you of some encroachments
Of 8«du Khan made on our privileges here by the Persian Government of our intentions of address­
ing the Vakeel on the subject, and of our apprehensions that if the Government’s
people were not more speedily checked, they would proceed to such lengths as to
render our departure from hence more eligible than our stay here. We are sorry
now to inform your Honour that these apprehensions were but too well founded
the 31st ultimo, your Broker Coja Yacoob, with the women, and others of his family,
were seized in their own House, and obliged by repeated beatings, at some of which
Ally Mahomet Caun the Governor himself was present, to sign a bond for 6000 To­
man. Our Linguist sent to ask the reason of this treatment, was again denied
admittance, and as all remonstrance we found would be ineffectual, we shut up our
Factory, and determined on having as little communication with Ally Mahomed
Caun’s people as possible, until we should receive an answer to a letter which we
then prepared for Carun Caun, and which was despatched to Shyras by the way of
Bushire as soon as the wind would admit, or the 6th instant. In the meantime Ally
Mahomed Caun’s people finding that the shutting up the Factory had alarmed the
town in such a manner that they were obliged to double the guards on the gates to
present the escape of the inhabitants being disappointed also in the amount which
"they expected from Coja Yacoob, notwithstanding all their severity and beginning
we believe to be apprehensive of the consequences of our complaining to the Vakeel,
they gave us many hints that if we went to see the Caun everything might be amic­
ably adjusted, but finding these had no effect, two of his principal people at length
desired to see us. Being admitted after some hesitation into the factory, they
made many professions of the Caun’s friendship towards us and endeavoured to