Page 259 - Gulf Precis (1-B)_Neat

453
passago up the Gulph. When we add to the circumstance that the collections of this settle­
ment would not probably be above one-half of that of Muscat, & the confidence of the
Merchants for obvious reasons tenfold, wo cannot hesitate in concluding that this Port would
immediately x the x comiherce between the Gulph & Bombay, which
has hitherto been carried to Muscat. The trade with the Coast of Malabar would formerly
similar reasons soon find the same channels as well as that from the Coast of Coromandel and
Bengal. This change might in some Articles bo more slow than in others from the Muscat
Merchants being at present the Chief Traders, & their Vessels being mostly employed in freight,
but it is impossible they could long support a competition with other Merchants & Ship owner
who conveyed their goods at less expencc & navigated their Vessels by a less circuitous track.
This remark applies most pointedly to that Considerable Trade which I have stated to be carried
on between Surat, Cambay & Guzcrat with the Gulph which could not but find its mart in
tho Port proposed.
81. next to be examined x x X X
X X X X
become the Emporium of the Trade that is now carreid on direct from Calcutta & the
Coasts of Coromandel and Malabar with the higher Ports in tho Gulph, such as Abu Sheher
and Bussorah.
85. It occurs here to remark that the situation of this Harbour a few miles within
the Gulph is 6uch that x Craft of the Arabian 8c Persian Shores X go to
& from it & their respective Ports at all Seasons of the Year with perfect safety & ease.
These Crafts in which goods are freighted for a third of the sum that they are on European
X X X vessels which it is necessary to employ in long voyages would be
continually sent to this Port for goods, & be exclusively employed in the interior Navigation
of the Gulph. No Circumstance would be more favourable to the Ports of Abu Sheher, &
Bussorah, and also the Arabs on the Shores of the X X the latter would have
an increased X X Craft 8c the M erchants of the former would after
paying a small Consulage or duty on the landing of their goods at the Port of Kishma save
considerably in the freight without having any additional resque whatever, x To throw
this into a stronger point of view it is only necessary to remark that the freight from Bombay
to the Port proposed could not from the distance & nature of the navigation, be more than
half of what it is to Abu Sheher & little more than one-third of that to Bussorah.
86. Whatever Trade from India made this Port its Emporium to the Gulph the return
would for similar reasons make it so also.
87. The Commerce between the Red Sea & the Gulph would unless some very impor­
tant change took place continue to centre as usual at Muscat, though it merits notice that
that Port is neither in facility of x y. , to be X
Harbour between Kishm & Anjam. x X x
88. Another advantage that would attend this Harbour from its being in the direct tract
of the Cruizers to Bussorah, would be, that two of these vessels could be constantly stationed
at it, & x add greatly to its strength and respectability * X without any
inconvenience or expence x as they might be always kept ready for x at a
moment's warning & regularly relieve the Cruizers that come from Bombay 8c Bussorah with
Packets, and in the event of one or both being employed against Arab pirates, the Cruizers that
come direct at such a period, might proceed the whole Voyage as at present.
89. Each of these Cruizers might also bring a proportion of the Hon’ble Company's
staples, 8s on a calculation the whole annual Supplies might with ease be conveyed in
this manner which would obviate any expcnce X X
being sold at the same rate as they X x Bombay,
a circumstance that would, as I havo before stated, considerably increase the consumption.
90. In concluding this part of my subject, it is necessary [that I should inform your
Lordship, that I havo formed ray opinions of the Comparative excellence of the different
harbours, of tho probable periods of voyages, and other matters that refer to nautical affairs