Page 238 - Gulf Precis (1-B)_Neat

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Advantage of privato Tradors. Tho Hon'blo Company may have n further advantage of
private Traders It is understood ihnt tho Hon'blo Company suffer a very considerable
liosa, in tbo Remittances made by the British Government in Bengal, to tho Presidency of
Boipljay, for the purpose of defraying tho Expences of that Establishment. If tho Produce of
such consignments a* may be hereafter made to Bussora, on tho public Account, is ordored to
bo remitted to Bombay, on tho Vessels belonging to tho Ilon'blc Company, whioh aro
annually sent from tlionco to Bussora, tho Loss in Question will be avoided ; and Loss avoided,
may fairly bo considered ns Gain.
It is conoeived, that tho Hon’ble Company might with Propriety derive an Advantage
from tho Commercial Intercourse carried on betwoon India and the Persian Gulph, by means
of Vessels, under British Colors, of which they havo hitherto generously deolined to avail
themsolvos.
From tho year 1780 to tho present Period, tho British Individuals Resident in India, in a
few Instances only excepted, havo coa3od to engage, in tho Commcrco of the Persian Gulph,
and tho Trade carried on between those countries by means of Vessels undor British Colors
has therefore, been principally cultivated by tho Armenian and Moslem Merchants Resident in
the British Settlements in India, under tho Protection of that Government, in vessels
prioipally their Property, furnished with British Passes, and navigated by British Captains and
Officers.
It has long been custom iry, in virtue of tho Resident at Bussora, being in Possession of
a consulary Birat, for tho representatives of the Hon’blo Company at tho Ports of Bussora
and Bushire! to collect, a consulage of 2 per cout. on all Imports, the Property of British
Individuals mado there, which consulage formerly amounted to a considerable annual Bum.
Until the year 1784-, tho consulage collected at eaoh of those Ports was equally divided
between tho Hon'blo the President at Bombay, and tho Residents there. The consulage
since collected, which in consequence of the Trade carried on between India and the Persian
Gulph, having been principally cultivated by Armenian and Moslem Merchants, has dwindle
to a mere Trifle, has in obedience to the commands of the Hon’blo Company been divided
into equal shares, one of which has been uniformly carried to their credit.
The security which the property of'the Armenian and Moslem Merchants beforementioned
derives from its conveyance in vessels of the foregoing Descriptions, and the dangers to the
Interests of the Hon’ble Company in the Persian Gulph, an! the difficulties to their
Servants stationed there, which generally attend, and which during the late Revolutions in the
Government of Bussora, have so very particularly attended, the granting protection to those
vessels, are considerations of so serious a nature, as to establish an opinion that all property
imported at Bussora and Bushire, in vessels uoder British Colors, should in Justice be sub­
jected, to the payment to tho representatives of the Hon’blo Company at those Ports of
the two per cent, consulago in Question. The British Government in India, will judge
of the Propriety of issuing the necessary orders for that purpose.
The value of the Imports made in the year 1787, at the Ports of Bussora and Bushire, in
vessels under British Colors, amounted to near twenty Lacks of Rupees, and it is to be supposed
that when peace takes place between the ottoman Emperor and his European Enemies, and the
present troubles in the Government of Persia, begin to subside, the annual Imports at Bussora
and Bushire, in vessels under British Colors, will exceed in value the beforementioned sum.
The share of the consulage thereon, which iu the Event of orders being issued by the
British Government in India, for its collection, would become the Property of the Hon'ble
Company, would amount to a sum, worthy of their attention, and the remaining share thereof
if allowed by British Government in India, to become the property of the Residents at
Bussora and Bushire, would prove to them very acceptable Emoluments, and enable them with
more Facility, to support, in a becoming stile, the expensive establishments, of their respective
station s.
The payment of three per Cent. Company's duties, and two per Cent, consulage, by British
subjects, on all their importations made at Bussora, to the representatives at the place of the
Hon'ble Company, has been already mentioned, as a Disadvantage attending the British
Commerce in that Quarter, and it is conceived that the 83rd Paragraph of tho Hon'blo
Company's General letter to Bombay of the 6th April 1763, was meant to give relief to tho