Page 243 - Gulf Precis (1-B)_Neat

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Prior to this period the Company’s servants had experienced oppressions nnd
extortions from the officers of the Persian Government, to which from the great distance and
difficulty of access to tho Sovereign they were obliged to submit; but in the latter part
of tho roigu of Nadir Shaw thoy found thoso evils had a higher souroo: that monarch
intoxicated with his success, could not brook the least shew of opposition to his will; his
cruelty and avarico bocarao insatinble, his ferocious guards and Afghan soldiers were let
looso upon the peaceable subjects and both they and strangers were beat, plundered and
murdered not only with impunity but encouragement from their master. The King who
was then at Carmonia granted a Rogora to protect the Company’s Banian, brokers, and
othor servants all ovor Persian and exempting them from Mustarade and all other impositions,
otc., but tho ink was scarce dry before ho ordered them to be tortured, the factory plundered
and forced a bill on Spahaun for R26,000 from the Resident, who afterwards made hi8
escape to Gombroon. Exemption wore attempted on tho factory at Gombroon, but were
fortunately not carried into effect before tho tyrant was cut to picoes by his own soldiers.
The death of Nadir Shaw was not succeeded by that tranquility which had been ,expccted.
Competitors appeared for tho throne of Persia, the Nobles took , part with these or set up
for themselves ns suited their immediate interest, or ambition, and a civil war commenced
which continued till Carim Caun established, his authority over the Kingdom.
In traciug the progress of the Company’s affairs through those times of anarchy and
confusion, we find the situation of their servants and property to have in a precarious situation.
On tho taking of I spahaun in 1760, the Company’s house was plundered and their Resident
there most cruelly beat, wounded and tHeir servants threatened with death were obliged to
make their escape in disguise to Gombroon, which they fortunately effected.
Tho Agent and Council finding themselves continually ill-used by the Government of
Gombroon and alarmed at the approach of every ohief or body of troops whose course was
generally marked by rapine found it expedient to have a ship at anchor in the roads for the
purpose of re-embarking the Company’s property and themselves whenever it became necessary
so to do, by this prudent management they' avoided the threatened danger, and were only
under the necessity of making occasional presents.
During this period it was frequently in agitation to remove the factory to some of the
islands in the Persian Gilph, and those of Bahrein, Kishraish, Ormus, etc., were thought of
for that purpose. The information obtained were relative to theso islands, will be found io
the appendix; the principal objection to such a factory may probably have been the danger of
thereby sacrificing the privileges enjoyed of exemption from customs and the difficulty of
removing tho mart, though neither of them seem to have been mentioned .and those then
started arose from the expense that would be incurred and the risk that might have been in
transporting goods to the Persian shore, which was not more than one day’s sail.
In consequence of encouragement given by the Sheik of Bundareek, a factory was
alteppted to bo established there in 1755, but before that was accomplished a revolution took
place, and his successor drove away the Resident, who had settled there.
The insecurity of property throughout Persia and the interruption of merchants met with
in transporting goods through the oountry occasioned a natural decay in the trade, and though
in late years we find very considerable sales, this seems to have been made as intervals of
tranquillity occurred and constant depreciation not only in the price, but in the quality of goods
they purchased, the principal staple article being doth. It is mentioned in the late Diarys,
that those who formerly used fine broad cloth were now reduced to use perpets' in most oases
from necessity, in some from prudeuce, to avoid by the appearanco of wealth to excite the
avarice of those who possessed or for a moment assumed power, in the different provinces ; and
latterly money became so scarce that the merchants who arrived from the northern provinces
had nothing but precious stones to offer in exchange for merchandize.
We have no other data on which to estimate the trade carried on by individuals at
Gombroon than the consulage collected, and, this being only from English traders who do not
at that time appear to have been numerous, may be a very small proportion indeed of the
amount of Indian goods carried to Persia. The Appendix No. 15 shews the greatest collection
of oonsulage to havo beon Shahees 4,19,339-3, but there is reason to believe in this is enclosed.