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family have resided many years at the Bacha’s Court, was discovered by the
Basha, to bo engaged in a dangerous correspondence, with a person who for
reasons unknown to me, had incurred the Basha’s displeasure. Ou this
Discovory, the Pacha immediately ordered Hodjeo Soliman Beg with his
family to quit Bagdad, and be seized his property there to a very considerable
amount. Hodjee Soliman Bog instantly obeyed the order, retired from Bagdad
with his Family to the Arabs of which he is the Shaik, and has since, openly
taken up arms against the Basha and his Government; Hodjee Soliman Beg’s
party is a powerful one, and the Basha has sometime ago sent a considerable
Army under the Command of the Kia, to punish the Rebel. Various engage­
ments have happened between the two Armies and various have been the
accounts, which have been recoived of them here. About twenty days ago,
the Mussaleem sent to me to inform me, that the Basha’s army had gained a
complete victory over that of Hodjee Soliman Beg, and that Hodjee Soliman
Beg was reduced to extremities. A few days past, however, letters were
received, from Bagdad, containing the disagreeable intelligence that Hodjee
Soliman Beg had routed the Basha’s Army and taken Prisoner the Basha of
Coordistan, who had joined the Army, by order of the Basha. The above is
the present state of affairs in the vicinity of Bagdad, which does not fail
to give great concern to the Basha, and injuriously to affect the general Trade
of this Country; Sometime ago whilst the Mussaleem and the inhabitants of
Bussora were anxiously expecting to receive advice of the issue of Hodjee
8oliman Beg’s rebellion, a report was spread here, and which was supported
by letters from many persons of consequence, both at Bagdad and Aleppo,
that Hodjee Soliman Beg had been appointed by the Ottoman Emperor, a
Basha of three Tails and Basha of Bagdad; The Basha himself believed
that the appointment had actually taken place, he sent for Coja Marcar the
Hon’ble Company’s Agent at Bagdad and in his presence ordered a letter
to be written to His Majesty’s Embassador at the Porte, in which he in the
warmest Terms entreated his friendly support and good offices at the Porte,
to 6et aside the appointment which he supposed had been given to Hodje
Soliman Beg, and acknowledged his many serious obligations to the English;
I am now happy to inform you that I have every reason to suppose that the
report of Hodjee Soliman Beg having been appointed Basha of Bagdad is
totally without foundation; I have not, however, received any intelligence
from the Embassador on the subject; Revolutions in the Government of these
countries are generally attended with so muoh confusion, and have generally
such evil consequences that the report of Hodjee Soliman Beg’s appointment as
Basha of Bagdad, gave me considerable concern. I, however, indulged the hope,
that the very Extensive influence which the English now fortunately enjoy, and
the very striot freindship which without an exception they now are in with every
person of consequence in the Country, might in the event of a revolution give
security to the Honorable Company’s Factory servants, and Dependents here,
and I also indulged the hope, that Hodjeo Soliman Beg in the Event of his
having obtained an appointment as Basha of Bagdad, and of his establishing
himself in the offioe, would persevere in his former attachment to the English,
and still acknowledge the obligations whioh he has frequently confessed to
be under to me for my kind attention to his Brother Mahomed Beg in the y ear
1785 ; I most anxiously hope that Soliman the preseut Basha may long hold
the Reins of the Government of this country. Although his conduct has not