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what may have been collected at Bussora which from want of Gombroon books canuot be
ascertained. Tho amount of 10 Shahees the general exchange is R41933, which sum being
only 2 per cent, on tho valuation makes tho total import R20,96,600. Taking it however in tho
yoar 1732-1733 when the Gombroou consulage is only stated at Shahees 77,071-9 orR7,707,
the import would bo RS,86,350 from tho accounts of tho years 1730—1733 and 1781,
1732 wo apprehend some different arrangement has existed as wo observe tho customs regularly
credited for those two years at Shahoes 200,000, which has tho appearance of their being
farmed and tho consulage to have been small in proportion thoroto. Tho lowest cousulago in
1747-1743, vie., Shahees 84,155 exhibits an import value of 111,70,775, and. it must bo
remarked that this is the year succeeding tho death of Nadir Shah and at a time when the
atrocities committed by him and his soldiers must have deterod the merchants in India from
consigning goods to Persia. Taking tho average of the 21 years of the consulage at Gombroon
and Bussora, it gives Shahees 1,64,187 or 1116,418 ; this shews an average import on which
tho consulage has been paid, of R8,20,900.
So far as we can judgo of tho extracts copied into the Appendix, which (from the number
of books wanting and the decayed state of those that remain) are very incomplete, the factory
it appears subjected the Company to considerable loss. The increase of charges of late years
arises, however, from the necessity of a vessel constantly being stationed there, the expense
whereof is debited; the factory and insecurity of tho Company's property at that place added
to tho oppressions they were subject are assigned by the Court of Directors n9 their reasons for
not continuing the factory at Gombroon after it had been taken and plundered by the French,
but remaining entirely at Bussora; the exceeding unhealthy situation of Gombroon was also a
great objection to it, many of the gentlemen sent there not surviving the first year and very
few ever returning to tho Presidency.
Tho Dutch appear from tho earliest records to have been long settled at Gombroon and
to have received three or four ships (some of them described large) annually from Batavia
laden chiefly with sugar, 6ugar candy, tin, iron, spices, pepper and sometimes a quality of broad
cloth; their privileges seem to have nearly the same with those enjoyed by the Ilon'bje Company,
but thoy appear to have been under obligation of furnishing spices to the King's kitchen. With
the English they also suffered the oppressions of Nadir Shah and his immediate successors
ill they were in the year 1751 induced to abandon the factory. This was, however, only
temporary, for in a short time the Governor-General of Batavia sent back the same Chief to
re-establish it, and after that a considerable force under tho direction of Mr. Kniphausen (who
had some time before been driven from Bussora) with which he seized upon and fortified the
Island of Carrack.
During this period the trade carried on in the Caspian Sea seems to have been increased
notwithstanding the traders wero subject to oppressions and being plundered. It appears that
they were able to sell their cloths at Kesht, Organge and other ports at as low a rate as the
Company; and being more conveniently situated for the northern provinces they were print
cipally supplied from thence. But it i6 not improbable that the merchants engaged in this
traffic carried the English manufactures merely as a remittance and that their principal
object was their returns in raw silk, an article which probably from great distance of Ghilan
from Gombroon and the danger of the roads does not appear to have been brought to the last
mentioned port, in any considerable quantity.

In elucidation of the ancient state of the trade we have deemed it expedient to make
copious extracts from the Gombroon diaries and books which are annexed as an Appendix-
Some of these may probably be thought too voluminous, but as it is a matter that may hereafter
require reference to ascertain other points than that in immediate contemplation, wo thought it
would be desirable to collect all the commercial information they contained, though it has
unavoidably in some measure delayed the delivery of our report.
We have taken the epoch of abandonment of the Gombroon Factory as the conclusion of
the ancient state of commerce between Persia and India. After tho removal of tho Agent
and Council to Bussora, the trade was .diver ted to a different quator, though still a con«
aiderable part of goods sent there entered Persia by way. of Havyza, yet tho troubles that

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