Page 133 - Arabian Studies (I)

The Diary of a Mocha Coffee Agent 117

or any other person be sent from Bombay, and upon such enquiry, if you
should find the same Measures still taken, lay hold of the first opportunity to
wait on the Governour, expressing your surprize at such innovations, and
demand free Trade on the Terms stipulated in former Grants, and the usual
Number of Six hundred Bales Custom free, and as your Ship is of force, you
may hint, if you arc ill used, that you shall take proper measures to do your
selves Justice, but as your business is to get us a full loading of Coffee for this
Ship if you find such a Representation has not the desired Effect in all
Respects, You must make the best Terms you can for Your selves before you
begin to trade, and submit to no Impositions which you can possibly avoid.
8. The Directors in London had given the following advice on this problem,
in their orders of 10 November, 1732:
As the Camels travel through that hot country [Bait al-Faqlh to Mocha] Day
and Night, it has been found by Experience the Coffee will dry and lose
sometimes 2 or 3 pounds a Bale, so that if the want do not exceed that, or as
it may happen somewhat more, you may conclude there hath been no
pilfering.
Sometimes there has fallen a great deal of Rain, and as the Camels have no
Places to shelter in, but are always in the open Air, as are the Bales they
carry, and when taken off their Backs to ease them, (which is but seldom
done), the Bale by the Wett will grow heavier.
. .. Remember to open and dry and then repack every Bale that has taken
wett before sending abroad.
9. Mr. Dickinson has been given the following instructions by the Court of
Directors in England:
Use all possible frugality in the Expense of Housekeeping and all other
Disbursements, make no presents if any ways avoidable, for the Charges of
the Port run very high, which makes the Coffee come out a great deal dearer
than the bare prime Cost, and consequently the produce the less.

10. In fact it is the Mars from France, a vessel of 800 tons carrying iron and
woollen cloth. She required a cargo of coffee.
11. The Court of Directors, in their instructions of 10 November 1732,
advised:
We would have you excite the Merchants [at Mocha] to bring more hither,
because we understood an overweight is allowed of 2%, and for the loss of 1%
it may be quite clean garbled, and the garblings sold to advantage, whereas if
bought at Beetlefuckee, there will be a loss of 2 or 3% in weight to make it so
... with the further advantage of its being cleaner coffee as, having less Dust
and Stones in it...’
12. In respect of research material, the author wishes to acknowledge with
thanks the assistance given to him by Professor R. B. Serjeant, Director of the
Middle East Centre, University of Cambridge, for the loan of photographs of this
document obtained by him in Bombay and the Staff of the Library and Records
Office at the India Office in London.