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Appendix G.
Report of Mr. Maister, Custom Master, Bombay, and Mr. Fawcett, Accountant
General, Bombay, oh /racte between India and Persia, and
suggestions as to the means far improving it.
December 1799.

Bombay Castle, December 17th, 1799.
To—Tho Hon’ble Mr. Jonh Duncan, President and Governor in Council, Bombay.
Hon’ble Sir,
In obedience to your commands to report upon the ancient and present state of trade with
Persia, wo have used every possible means to obtain full information on the subject and beg
leave to lay before you the result of our researches.
"With respect to the former state of trade we find there has been for many years so little
intercourse immediately from this part of India, that tho oldest merchants could give us no
information on the subject; we were consequently reduced to the necessity of deriving the
whole of our information from the records of Government which we were aware must naturally
treat chiefly on the Company's own affairs or only that branch of our object of enquiry, which
went to the trade in European articles, with occasional tracts that may enablo us to make some
estimate of the trade between India and Persia.
• The oldest Diary of the Factory of Gombroon, in existence here in for the 1741*42, when
the trade of that port is stated to bo on the decline ; the Company had an Agent and
Council established at that place, and Residents under them at Bussora, Ispahan and
Carmenia, and possessed certain privileges under the Rogom6 of the Kings of Persia ; tho
first and principal of which was granted them by Shaw Abbas exempting them of payment
of duties, but whioh was unfortunately lost at. Ispahan, and neither copy nor memorandum of
its contents preserved nor can we anywhere find copies of the other Rogoms, but the following
list of those granted by Nadir Shaw appears in a subsequent diary.
List of Rogoms granted to the Hon’ble Company by Shaw Nadir, vis.—
No. 1.—A Rogomto the Governor and Omallsof Spahaun that the English, being alwaye
free of customs, etc., as by attested copies of Rogoms from former Kings produced to him, and
which he has caused to be registered continued to be so confirming the privileges from the
former Kings of Persia, annulling the Customs Master’s Rogom against the Hon’ble Company
and orders that nothing be taken on thoso accounts.
No. 2.—A Rogqm to tho Resident at Spahaun that he has received his petition about the
Custom Masters, and the Rogoms from the former Kings, that ho now sends a Rogom (the
foregoing) upon that subject and that he will not suffer his people to make any new customs
and whatever ho petitioned to hope a favourable regard would be shewn to it.
No. 3.—A Rogom to all the Governors of Persia not to borrow any money of the English
or their servants, or have any imposition of goods, etc., put upon them on any account and
whatever place they are in, to be treated with great civility.
No. 4.—A Rogom to the Omalls of Carmenia for paying tho Company 570 Tomandes, on
account of porpets taken reproving them for doiug it, and forbidding them to take any goods
without paying ready money.
No. f>.—A Rogom ordering all Governors, Viziers, Dorogas and other officers to treat the
English civilly, as there hns been a long friendship between the Kings of England and Persia
and the English are Kings’ guests.
No. 0.—A Rogom that none force the Chiof or his servants and if they sell any, tq be paid
for them in ready money.
No. 7.—A Rogom confirming all tho privileges we have from him.
No. 8,—A Rogom about civility, aud that no injustice be exeroised towards our trade,
and to pay ready money for any goods wanted of the English.