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371
may bo sufficiently onforced by internal Regulations at different presidencies
as future events may render adviseablo, without requiring to bo inserted in
the body of any Commercial Treaty that may be concerted.
5. Under these circumstances, provided that Persia continue in the enjoy-
inont of a settled Government; we have little doubt from the successful pro­
gress hitherto made by Mehcdi Ally Khan, in the sale of woollens he took
with him, that the Company’s trade might in tho Kingdom be still increased
to greater extent than has hitherto been ever experienced in its most prosper­
ous periods.
6. Should your Lordship in Council think it adviseable for the Company to
undertake a direct trade betweon India and Persia; we think thero is a reason­
able prospect of its being rendered moderately and perhaps abundantly pro­
fitable in supplying that Country with the sugars of Bengal the Chintizes of
Coromandel, and the Pepper and Cassia of Malabar ; all of which now form
staple articles of this Commerce, as noticed in the more genuine modern
account thereof—copies into the 21st Voucher to Messrs. Maisters and Fawcett,
Report above referred to; the present profit upon which our President has
been assured by the author of the statements own experience, clear not less
than 50 per cent, upon an average to the Native Traders. The Company also
might have this additional motive for entering into this speculation ; that, as
the returns must, for the greater part, be made in bullion an additional source
°f supply might thence be derived to the Bombay Treasury that would assist
the beneficial object of ensuring the most favourable exchange for the further
Drafts that might be required from Bengal.
7. We forboar to enter on the subject of our territorial acquisition in the
Gulph, for the purpose of establishing a respectable and perhaps, more secure
mart of our Commerce in that quarter but should this ever become an object,
the Islands either of Khruk or Hormuz, might perhaps be easily obtained to
settle on, as has already been intimated in respect to the latter, in the corre­
spondence of the present Resident at Bushire.

We have the honour to be,
My Lord,
Tour Lordship’s most obdt. humble Servant,

JONATHAN DUNCAN, etc.,
COUNCIL.
Bom bat Castle ;
9th December 1799.
CCLXXXI.
From the Government of Bombay to Captain Malcolm.
Sib,
Having been desired by the Right Hon’ble the Governor General in Proposed Commer-
Counoil to furnish you with such Instructions, and Materials as we might Peni****1 with
judge proper, towards assisting your eventual formation of a Commercial
Treaty with Persia; we be g leave in that view, to transmit the Copy of a
Report0 on this Subject from the Custom Master, & Aocountant General at
this Presidency, which, with the papers therein referred to, as to the accom­
panying List of Appendix, comprehends the fullest Information, that we have
• Be# Appendix Q.