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rich Pearl Fishery in its neighbourhood. The other Petty Towns of Persia situated on the
shore of the Gulph were then still loss known to Europeans than they are present, but they
neither then nor now, wero, or are of consequence enough, to entitle them oven to be mentioned
in this Keport,
Tho Anxiety and Solicitude which the Vakeel manifested for the Extension, of the
Coramcrco of Persia, met with their proper Reward; aud he had tho pleasure, in the course
of a few years to find, that he had in great measure restored order and Regularity, throughout
tho Extont of his Dominions. The Vigor or Langor of Commerce in Persia, depends entirely
upon the degree of confidence, which the Merchant possesses iu regard to the Government
and the monthly receipt of the custom house at Scherauzo arising from the moderate duty of
2 P. Cont. is porhapB the best Proof, which can be produced, of the confidence which the
Merchants reposed iu that of the Vakcol. Incredible almost as it may appear, there is sufficient
Authority for advancing, that they amounted to the sum of Tomauus six Thousand. The
most skillfull Workmen, iu all the different Branches of the Manufactures of Persia were
attracted to Scherauze, by the Liberality of the Vakeel, the fine Carpets of Khorasaun found
their way, in abundance, to Constantinople and from thence to Europe, the Drugs, the natural
produce of some of the Persian Provinces were exported to considerable quantities to Aleppo
and India, and the ^ Duties to bo received by the Government on the Silk, produced in the
Province of Ghilan alone, were farmed to an American Merchant for the sum of Tomauns
four Thousand.
It has been beforementionod, that the deficiency of the Records, relating to the Transac­
tions of the Factory does not allow of the Account of the sales made anuually at that place,
during this period, beiug mentioned in this report, but there is good reason to suppose that
they were more various and more extensive, than they have ever been since amongst tho
Articles which the Hon'ble Company, then imported at Bushire, are to be found, besides their
Woollens Carpets, Velvets, Metals, embossed Cloths, Brocades, and diferent Kinds of European
Silks.
It will not be deemed foreign to the subject in hand, to mention, that, upon the Records
of the Hon'ble Company at Bussora, there stands a singular Instance of the attention, which
Kerim Khan paid to, and of the Insight which he acquired into the true Interests of the
Commerce of Persia. The Instance alluded to, is a Firmanu published by this Prince forbid-
ing the Exportation of specie, in which after enumerating the disadvantages which must ever
arise to a Nation, which exports specie for the purpose of purchasing foreign Manufactures,
he points out the many commercial Advantages, which Persia possesses in consequence of her
natural Productions; and enforces the necessity of this subjects, who may be engaged in
foreign Commerce availing themselves of a circumstance, which under proper Management
must prove so beneficial to their Country. This Edict, although it was not carried into exe­
cution, to the full Extent of the Khans wishes, proved nevertheless highly serviceable, to the
Commercial Interests of the Kiugdora, aud there is good reason to assert, that the Balance of
Trade between Persia, India and Turkey, was at that Period, much more favourable to the
former, than ever it has been sinoe.
As we approach to the present period, the commerce of Persia will be found iusensibly to
have declined, and although for, Want of the proper documents to procure which, no pains
have been spared, the exact Proportion of its decleosion, cannot be ascertained, yet the two
leading circumstances which operated, as the causes tuereof, are obviously perceptiule; for it
cannot for a Moment be doubted, that the withdrawing of a Dutch settlement, from the
Island of Carrack tended materially to its decrease, and that the death of the Vakeel, by
throwing the Empire into confusion, gave it a still more fatal blow upon this latter Event, the
most wealthy Merchants who had during the Life time of the Vakeel, resided at Scherauze
and transacted th«-ir Business iu perfect security, findiug themselves, suddenly exposed to
every species of Extortiou aud Rapiue, from the different competitors who immediately', sprang
up for the Government, embraced iu consequence thereof, the earliest opportunity of aban­
doning a Country, in which they with reason conceived neither their persons nor their
Property to be any longer secure.
Although the Death of Kerim Khan, took place «arly in the year 1779, yet the confusion
caused thereby, had not m any degree subs.led, in the Southern Provinces of the Empire
untill Jaafer Khar assumed the Government of Scherauze and its dependencies in the year