Page 253 - Gulf Precis (1-B)_Neat

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importance that the Company should increase the sale of Woollens 3c other staple*,
I observe in all the letters from the Court of Directors that they are more anxious the sales
should be extensive, than profitable. I am inclined to suppose from eveiy account I have
received that if the Woollens were sold ... Port in the Gulph for the price paid at
Bombay, which I shall have occasion to show they might be without loss, that the annual
Consumption in Persia alone, would bo twelve or fourteen hundred Bales of purpetts (of 10
pieces in each Balo) and from six to eight hundred Bales of Broad Cloth & long Ells.
46. Of the probable consumption at Bussorah, I cannot speak, but to judge from a joint
Report given by Mr. Manesty and Mr. Jones in 1790, on the Trade of Arabia & Persia,
many reasons combine against its ever being very considerable.
* 47. Of the other staples, Iron to the amount of twelve thousand, lead two thousand, steel
one thousand, and of white lead five thousand Bombay raaund6 might, if my information is
correct, be annually sold at an advantageous rate in Persia, & a 8mall quantity of the latter
Articles would aho it appears from Messrs. Manesty & Jones's Report meet a profitable
sale at Bussorah.
48. During all the Revolutions that have afflicted Persia, the demand for these staples
has been almost always at an average, and if the Native Merchants had an easy access to a
well supplied English Port in the Gulph which from its strength was perfectly independant
of the Persian Monarchy. The changes of the Government & the despotism of the reigning
Prince would have but little effect on the sales.
49. The Hon’ble the Court of Directors have at different periods expressed a strong
desire to make purchases of Carmenia Wool, an article which has within late Years become
very scarce from two causes. First, the Uncertainty of its sale to European Traders, &
Second, its expenditure in the external Manufactures of the Country which have increased to
a great extent since supplies from abroad became precarious. The establishing a good &
permanent market for this Valuable Commodity would encourage the Natives of Carmenia
to attend to -their Goats, would diminish the manufactures at home, & consequently raise tha
demand for those from abroad.
50. It must always be the interest as well as the duty of a Government to’increase the
industry & wealth of a Country under its rule ; and there is no way in which this can be so
well done, as by providing secure & ready means of removing to a good market the extra produce
of the soil, & the work of the manufacturer. The prosperity of the Country will ever keep
an exact ratio with the extent of such means. If the justness of this principle is admitted ;
is it not most essential that the Hon’ble Company should provide a safe mart for a Trade
which (since their acquisition of the Coast of Malabar) consumes the amount of near fifty
lacks of rupees annually of the extra produce of tlveir provinces, and which, if encouraged, &
efficiently protected would in all probability increase to a double amount.
51. Independent of answering this essential and a respectable Establishment of the nature
proposed would be the best means of securing to the Hon’ble Company the Trade of the Gulph
in the event of that ever becoming from changes either in the Persian or Turkish Empire an
object to other European Powers.
52. Though the original expence of the undertaking with the Current Disbursements for
an Establishment would no doubt exceed any immediate profit that would be expected from
the adoption of this plan, I cannot have a doubt but that even, in a Commercial point of view
this settlement would become in the course of a few years a source of advantage, instead of loss
to the Hon’ble Company.
53. I shall next proceed to state such reasons as occur on political grounds to recommend
the adoption of this measure, & I have* no hesitation in confessing, that X to me
of a nature, so important, as to supersede all Commercial considerations whatever on this
point.
54. It cannot be expected that the different Nations of Europe can ever view without
envy, England enjoying almost exclusively the Commerce of the Ea9t, and it is to be supposed

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