Page 85 - Gulf Precis (1-B)_Neat

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Bunderiok vessel?, souttl&d his Gallivata, and in that condition showed them to
the Oaun’6 messenger as a proof that they were unfit for sorvice.

CCI.

Mr. Moore the Agent's letter to the Pasha of Bagdad, datol the 12th January 1774.
I benefit by the first conveyance that offers for Bagdad, to inform your Agency's return
to Baarah-Wretohed
Excellency of my roturn to this place under the 5th instant, and at the same condition of th«
. merchants, Caravan
time to assure you I rejoice not a little at finding you had escaped the Plague from Basrah to
which during the course of the last twelve mouth has been inflicted on vour pisEa?’ vmmU *°r
Excellency’s dominions ; Your Excellency can be no stranger to the dreadful
bavock it has made in this City in particular, the inhabitants almost all dead,
those few that are remaining quite dispirited, and some of the principal
merchants amongst them, preparing to leave your Country for ever, they are
induoed to this not only from their apprehensions that the Plague may again
break forth, but from the oppressive and injurious treatment that they inform
me they have met with from the Government here during eight months in
which I have been absent, money extorted from them by imprisoning their
persons, and other proceedings shocking to freedom, and human nature, but
more particularly so at a time of such a general calamity as the late Plague
may be considered. Your Excellency is I hope a stranger to the proceedings
in question, indeed I am confident you could not hear of them, otherwise
they would immediately have been put a stop to—the Merchants here all
look up to me as their protector, and implore my influence with your
Excellency. I have promised them the full force of it, and with that promise
their fears seem somewhat to nave subsided; Permit me to recommend to
your Excellency’s consideration that Bussora is a Commercial Town, and
that no commerce can flourish, where the Merchants that live in it, live under
oppression, with the best of Government, it will take a century for this
City to recover, how much therefore it is your Exoellenoy’s interest to treat
the Merchants with humanity I entirely submit to your own determina­
tion. The five vessels that came hither from India with me, will I hope
somewhat contribute to raise the spirits of our drooping merchants, and
couduce also to your Excellency’s honor and interests. I am very happy
in having brought with me the two which your Excellency commissioned me
for, they are quite new, carry fourteen guns each, are called the “ Tygris and
Euphrates'* and well calculated for the rivers that they are named after.
I wish your Excellency could see them, because I am well convinced you would
be pleased with the manner in which your orders have been executed. It
was not in my power before my departure from this place in April last, to
obey your commands regarding a Caravan’s proceeding immediately across
from hence to .Aleppo; but I now intend doing it very shortly, as several mer­
chants are oomo hither with goods for that purpose, and a direct caravan will
very much assist in recovering the commerce of this Country, the Merchants
here also are very urgent with me to get the order for a Caravan reuewed ; I
Notb.—In confirmity with instructions from Govt Mr. loft Bombay on 28 Octobor 1773 for Basrah
for the purpose of resuming bis duties as Agent, and waB accompanied by Mr. William Digges Latcaioho Mr*
Georgo Abrabam, Mr. James Collings, and Mr. Galloy. These eentlemen arrived at Basran on the 6th
January 1774, when they found that the plaguo had disappeared. The total loss of life from this disease at
Basrah and the villages around it during tho period of its prevalence, was estimated at about 2,00,000 and in
tbs whole of Turkish Arabia at 2 millions.