Abstract: A copy of a letter from William Digges Latouche, Resident at Bussora [Basra], to the Secret Committee of the Court of Directors for Affairs of the United Company of Merchants of England trading to the East Indies [East India Company], dated 13 May 1783.Subjects covered include:Arrangements for conveying news of the preliminary articles of peace between Great Britain and France and Spain [American War of Independence, 1775-1783] to IndiaThe movements of French travellers towards India, including the messenger M Cotinal discussed in the letter of 23 AprilThe transit of mail to India, including reports of the assembly at Nice of a large French force (see IOR/L/PS/9/76/25)The movements of British travellers.Another copy of the same letter can be found in IOR/L/PS/9/76/28.Attached to the letter are extracts of two letters from William Hornby, Governor of Bombay [Mumbai], to Latouche, dated 25 February and 2 March 1783. Subjects covered include:Developments in the conflict with Mysore [Second Anglo-Mysore War, 1780-1784], including the death of Hyder [Ḥaydar ‘Alī, Ruler of Mysore] and the rise of Tipoo [Tīpū Sulṭān]The movements of ships, in particular attacks by French ships off Ganjam and the threat this poses to English ships on the east coast of India.Physical description: 1 item (5 folios)
Abstract: Two letters from William Digges Latouche, Resident at Bussora [Basra], to the Court of Directors for Affairs of the United Company of Merchants of England trading to the East Indies (East India Company).The first letter, dated 27 June 1781, covers subjects including:Intelligence from the Coromandel coast concerning French movements and the conflict with Heyder Ally [Ḥaydar ‘Alī, Ruler of Mysore]The movements of ships at Bombay [Mumbai] and MuscatThe return to Bussora of hostages who were taken to Schyras [Shiraz] by Persian [Iranian] forces in 1776.The same letter can be found in two parts in IOR/L/PS/9/76/12 and IOR/L/PS/9/76/15.The second letter, dated 5 July 1781, covers subjects including:The transit via Bussora of dispatches to and from IndiaThe movements of British travellers towards IndiaThe arrival in Bussora of a consignment of woollensDutch vessels at Muscat.Physical description: 1 item (2 folios)
Abstract: A letter from William Digges Latouche, Resident at Bussora [Basra], to the Court of Directors for Affairs of the United Company of Merchants of England trading to the East Indies [East India Company], dated 20 July 1781. Subjects covered include:The movements of ships and British travellers towards India via BussoraThe movements of French ‘privateers’, including the capture of a Muscat shipThe sale of woollens in Bussora.Attached to the letter is the first part of another letter from Latouche to the Court of Directors, dated 12 October 1781, covering the movements of French ‘privateers’. The second part of this letter is catalogued IOR/L/PS/9/76/18 and the third part as IOR/L/PS/9/76/16.Physical description: 1 item (2 folios)
Abstract: A copy of a letter from William Digges Latouche, Resident at Bussora [Basra], to the Court of Directors for Affairs of the United Company of Merchants of England trading to the East Indies [East India Company], dated 15 June 1781. Subjects covered include:Arrangements for the passage of various East India Company employees from Bussora towards India and related movements of ships in the GulfThe activities of the Basha [Sulaymān Pāshā Āl Kabīr, Governor of Baghdad], including his order of gallivat ships from Bombay [Mumbai] and reinforcement of BussoraNews of the capture of Dutch colonies in the Caribbean, which Latouche has forwarded to BombayNews from Bombay regarding English shipsIntelligence from Madras [Chennai] regarding the movement of French ships and the conflict [Second Anglo-Mysore War, 1780-1784] with Heyder Ally [Ḥaydar ‘Alī, Ruler of Mysore].A duplicate of the same letter can be found in IOR/L/PS/9/76/12.Attached to the letter is part of another letter from Latouche to the Court of Directors dated 27 June 1781. It covers:Intelligence from the Coromandel coast concerning French movements and the conflict with Heyder AllyThe movements of ships.The remainder of this letter can be found in IOR/L/PS/9/76/15. The full letter can be found in IOR/L/PS/9/76/20.Physical description: 1 item (2 folios)
Abstract: Two volumes in one slipcase containing a collection of letters and enclosures dispatched from Gombroon [Bandar-e ʻAbbas] Factory to ‘the Court of Directors for affairs of the United Company of Merchants of England Trading to the East Indies’. Almost every letter includes the date it was received overland via Aleppo and Marseilles. At some point these letters were assigned numbers from 2386 to 2486, in red (turned to purplish) ink. Any missing numbers in between indicate that the letter is missing. The letters cover a variety of issues and topics including:Accounts received from the East India Company (EIC)’s Factories at Spahaun [Esfahan, also written as Spahaune] and Carmenia [Kerman also written as Carmania], and checked at GombroonRecords of
rogoms[raqams or ruqums: royal grants confirming specific trading privileges], and
talligaws[ta‘liqas: official orders] granted or to be granted to the EIC’s establishments in Persia [Iran]. Examples of authentic translated copies of
rogomscan be found in folios 25, 28, 89, 182 and 188Records of the EIC’s servants in Persia covering their names, stations, positions, date of commencing in the service, salaries, death, misbehaviours, complaints, and investigationsProposal to settle a Factory at Mushat [Mashhad]The activities of local Arab, Armenian, Ballooches [Baluch] and Persian merchants in the regionRecords of Dutch, French, Portuguese and Russian [written as muscovite] activities in the regionThe status of the wool trade at CarmeniaLists of woollen goods proper for Persian marketLists of commodities traded with including: broadcloth, sugar candy, spices, copper, iron, cotton, nuts, dates, coffee, silk, and riceThe rebellion of the Arabs and the agwaans [Afghans?] led by ‘the noted pyrate’ Shaik Ahmud Medannah [Shaikh Aḥmad Madanī, also written as Medanna]The Ophgoon [Afghan]-Persian warsThe Persian-Ottoman [Turks] warsBritish-Persian relationsBritish-Ottoman relationsDispute between the Arabs and the Bashaw of Bussorah [Pāshā of Basra]Reports of the Arabs plundering British shipsRecords of the accession of, three months old, Abbas III after the imprisonment of his father by Tahmasp Qoli Khan [Ṭahmāsb Qulī Khān, i.e. Nādir Shāh, Shāh of Persia 1732-1747]Dutch seizing the vessels of Shaik Russhett [Shaikh Rāshid al-Qāsimī, also written as Rachid] at Bassidore [Basidu, also written as Bassidoore]Persian navy assisting the Hoveyza Arabs [Huwayza Arabs of Khuzistan, also written as Havizah] in their siege of BussorahNews of the Hoola [Hawala/ Huwala] Arabs revolting against the PersianThe Imaum of Muscat [Imam of Muscat, also written as Muscatt] asking for Persian help against his rebellious subjectsNādir Shāh claiming himself the master of Muscat and Julfar [also written as Julphar]Nādir Shāh's invasion of the Mogull Empire [Mughal]Detailed accounts of the state of affairs and inland military operations in a number of provinces in Persia and the names of local governors and generals involved.The volumes contain records of letters from the Resident at Bussorah covering: the relations with Ottoman officials, letters from the British Consul at Aleppo, the state of affairs in the region, and the status of the EIC’s trade at Bussorah.The volumes include detailed reports of the state of the Company’s trade in Persia covering the following: shipping; goods from Europe or India; investments; the Factory’s accounts and charges; customs and revenues; the trade in Persia in general and any transactions with the Persian Government; buildings and fortifications; and the EIC’s covenant servants, soldiers, and their accounts.The volumes also include lists recording the arrival and departure of ships, their names, staff, tons, guns, from where, when sailed, and where bound. Among the recorded ships are the
Victoria, the
Success, the
Tellicherry, the
Fame, the
Prince George, the
Queen Carolina, the
Britannia[also written as
Brittania], the
Drake, the
Robert, the
Prince of Wales, the
Richmond, the
Jenny, and the
Wilmington. Ships sailed mainly to and from Gombroon, Bombay [Mumbai], Surat [also written as Suratt], Bengall [Bengal], Bassidore, Bussorah, Boucheir [Bushehr], Mocha, Mallabar Coast [Malabar], Madrass [Madras, i.e. Chennai], Muscat, and China.The volumes include some duplications, and some faded letters/enclosures.Physical description: Foliation: This file consists of two physical volumes. The foliation sequence (used for referencing) commences at f 1 of volume one (ff 1-153) and terminates at f 284 of volume two (ff 154-284); these numbers are written in pencil, are circled, and are located in the top right corner of the recto side of each folio. An additional foliation sequence is also present in parallel; these numbers are also written in pencil, but are not circled. The foliation sequence does not include the front and back covers, nor does it include the leading and ending flyleaves.
Abstract: Two volumes containing a collection of letters and enclosures dispatched from Gombroon [Bandar-e ʻAbbas, also written as Gomroon] Factory to ‘the Court of Directors for affairs of the United Company of Merchants of England Trading to the East Indies’. Almost every letter includes the date it was received overland, and the name of the ship it was received from. At some point these letters were assigned numbers from 2287 to 2385, in red (turned to purplish) ink. Any missing numbers in between indicate that the letter is missing. The letters cover a variety of issues and topics including:Reports on the activities of local Arab, Armenian, Ballooches [Baluch] and Persian [Iranian] merchants in the regionRecords of rogoms [raqams or ruqums, also written as rogomms: royal grants confirming specific trading privileges], and talligaws [ta‘liqa/ta‘lika: official order] granted or to be granted to the East India Company’s (EIC) establishments in Persia [Iran]The status of the wool trade at Carmenia [Kerman, also written as Carmania]Names of commodities traded with including: broadcloth, sugar candy, spices, copper, iron, cotton, coffee, wine, silk, pearl, wool, and riceRecords of the EIC’s servants in Persia covering their names, job titles, salaries, death, misbehaviours, complaints, and investigationsAccounts of Dutch, French, Portuguese and Russian [written as muscovite] activities in the regionAccounts of the Ophgoon [Afghan]-Persian war, covering details of the Ophgoons’ siege of Spahaun [Esfahan, also written as Spahaune] and Shyrash [Shiraz, also written as Shyrass], and their execution of members of the Safavid royal family, and state officialsRecords of famine, cannibalism and plague in PersiaAccounts from Spahaun and Carmenia factories, checked at GombroonGifts presented to Persian, Afghan and Ottoman officialsAfghan-British relationsThe Afghan-Ottoman warsThe Persian-Russian warsThe siege of Ormuz [Jazīreh-ye Hormoz, Iran] castle by the MuscatisCustoms imposed on English ships by Shaik Rachid at Bassidore [Shaikh Rashid al-Qasimi of Basidu, also written as Rachide, and Rushett]The dispute between the Factory officials and the Shawbunder [Shahbandar] of Gombroon over customsThe Shawbunder of Gombroon being assisted by the Arabs in his attempts to protect the port from the augwauns’ [Afghans’?] attacksA complaint about Cossum [Qasim], the wool merchant at CarmeniaCommunications with the Immaum of Muscat [Imam of Muscat, also written as Imaum of Muscatt].The volumes include detailed accounts of the state of affairs and inland military operations in a number of provinces in Persia including Tabreez [Tabriz], Hamadoon [Hamadan], Casbin [Qazvin], Tyroon [Tehran], and Yazd. Among the local governors and generals involved in the operations are Amanoolah Caun [Amanullah Khan, the Vizier of Esfahan, also written as Aumaunoolah and Amaunoolah], Mahomett Syed Sultan [Muhammad Sayyid Sultan, Governor of Gombroon], Mahmud Moman Caun [Mahmud Mu'min Khan, the Great Chancellor of the Kingdom of Persia], Alhamadaulet [E‘temad al-Dawla, Grand Vizier of Persia, also written as Athamadowlet], Shaw Sultan Hussain of Spahaun [Shah Sultan Husain Safavid], Shaw Mahmud [Shah Mahmud Hotak or Gilzi, Afghan Ruler of Gilzi dynasty], and Shaw Ashroff Sultan [Shah Ashraf Hotak or Gilzi, Afghan military commander, also written as Ashroph].The volumes contain records of letters from the Resident at Bussorah [Basra, also written as Bussorrah] covering the following: relations with Ottoman officials; letters received from the British Consull [Consul] at Allepo [Aleppo, also written as Alleppo]; the state of affairs in the region; the EIC’s sales and lists of goods; and communications with local merchants at Bagdatt [Baghdad] and Bussorah and lists of their names.The volumes also include detailed reports of the state of the Company’s trade in Persia covering the following: shipping; goods from and for Europe; the Factory’s accounts; customs and revenues; the trade of Persia in general; the EIC’s cash and exchanges; the private trade liberty and grievances of the EIC’s covenant servants.The volumes include records of the arrival and departure of ships, including the
Syria, the
Greenwich, the
Phillipps[
Phillips], the
Prince Frederick, the
Britannia[also written as
Brittania], the
Marigold, the
Margarett, the
Deane, the
Duke of York, and the
Alleppo[
Aleppo]. Ships sailed mainly to and from Gombroon, Bombay [Mumbai], Surat [also written as Surratt], Bengall [Bengal], Bussorah, Boucheir [Bushehr], Cochin, Mocha, and Muscat.The volumes include some duplications, and some faded letters/enclosures.Physical description: Foliation: this file consists of two physical volumes. The foliation sequence (used for referencing) commences at f 1 of volume one (ff 1-131) and terminates at f 266 of volume two (ff 132-266); these numbers are written in pencil, are circled, and are located in the top right corner of the recto side of each folio. An additional foliation sequence is also intermittently present in parallel between ff 225-266; these numbers are also written in pencil, but are not circled. The foliation sequence does not include the front and back covers, nor does it include the leading and ending flyleaves. The file contains four foliation anomalies: f 20a, f 20b, f 176a and f 176b.
Abstract: Two volumes containing a collection of letters and enclosures dispatched from Gombroon [Bandar-e ʻAbbās] Factory to ‘the Court of Directors for affairs of the United Company of Merchants of England Trading to the East Indies’. Each letter has the date it was received overland, and the date it was read in Court noted at the end of it. At some point these letters were assigned numbers from 2487-2604, in red (turned to purplish) ink. Any missing numbers in between indicate that the letter is missing.The letters cover variety of issues and topics including:The state of affairs and military operations in a number of provinces in Persia [Iran] including, Mashad [Mashhad, also written as Mashat, Mushat, Mushatt and Musshat], Carmenia [Kerman], Gombroon, Yazd, and Spahaun [Eṣfahān]. Among the rulers involved in the operations were Shawrook Shaw [Shāhrokh Shāh Afshar, or Shāhrokh Mīrzā Afshār, c 1734-1796, also written as Sarook, Sharrook, Shawrooke, Sharooke and Shawroke], Carem Caun [Karīm Khān Zand, Vakil of Persia, also written as Carreemm], Ally Mardin Caun [‘Ali Mardan Khan Bakhtiyari, Ilkhani of the Bakhtiyari Tribe], Ahzad Caun [Āzād Khān Ghilza'ī, d 1782, Beglerbeg of Azarbāijān], Ahmed Shaw Afgoon [Ahmad Shah Afghan Durrani, known as Ahmad Shah Abdali r 1747-1772, also written as Ahmet Shaw Aphgoon] and Nasseir Caun [Nāsir Khān Āl Mazkūr, r 1162-1203/c 1749-1788]Indent of woollen goods proper for the Persian market including: the type of cloth, amount by piece, colours required, and their prices. On some occasions patterns of coloured woollen goods were attached to the list as in folios 4, 195 and 214Indent of iron, lead and tin proper for the Persian market and the amount in tonsAbstract of general expenditures at GombroonRecords of the Company’s cash balanceThe activities of the Dutch and the Russians in the regionReports on the activities of local Persian and Armenian merchants in the regionNews of Nadir Shaw [Nadir Shah, Shah of Persia 1732-1747] being killed by his own people in 1747A list of twenty-three rogoms [raqams or ruqums, also written as rogomms: royal grants confirming specific trading privileges] granted to the Company by Nadir ShawSuggestions to set up a Company house at the Island of Bhareen [Bahrain, also written Bahreen and Barren] or at the Island of Kishmish [Qishm]Reports on the status of the wool trade at CarmeniaNews of the deaths of Factory members Danvers Graves and Robert WentNews of Nasseir Caun appointing Moola Ally Shaw [Mulla ‘Ali Shah] to the Government of GombroonNews of the war between the Hoola Arabs [Hawala] and Nasseir Caun at BahreenLists of the Company’s servants in the Gulph [Gulf] of Persia containing their names, ages, stations, places, and salaries.The volumes include enclosures of letters exchanged with the Factory Warehouse Keeper, Danvers Graves, who took the place of the late Resident at Spahaun, John Pierson [also written as Peirsons]. Mr Graves was instructed to clear the Company’s debt at Spahaun, sort the outstanding bills, settle the affairs of the Carmenia bill, and provide a detailed account of Mr Peirson’s fraud accounts and his transactions with local merchants, particularly with Hodjee Ibrahim Bozoork [Haji Ibrahim Buzurg] and Mirza Boggher [Mirza Baqer, also written as Bagher]. The volumes also include records of the examinations of John Pierson before the Agent and Council at Gombroon, and remarks on his conduct and management of affairs at Spahaun.The volumes contain enclosures of letters from the Resident at Bussorah [Basra], William Shaw, to the Court of Directors for affairs at Bombay [Mumbai] reporting on the state of affairs in the region, ships sailing and arriving, the activities of the Aleppo traders, letters dispatched to Aleppo, and the Turks’ activities in the region.The letters in the volumes include records of the arrival and departure of ships, including the
Rose Galley, the
Welcome, the
Godolphin, the
Swallow, the
Heathcote, the
Fort William, the
Fort St. George, the
Jenney, the
Nancy, the
Prince of Orange, the
Drake, the
Oxford, the
Shaftesbury, the Boscawen, the
Man of War, the
Prince Henry, the
Hector, the
Guardian, the
Fezeraboony[
Fayz Rabbani], and the
Prince of Wales. Ships sailed mainly to and from Gombroon, Bombay, Bussorah, Surat, Bengall [Bengal], Boutchier [Būshehr, also written as Boucheir, Busshire], Madrass [Madras, i.e. Chennai], the Island of Socrata [Socotra Island], Batavia [Jakarta], Judda [Jeddah], China, Mocha, Muscat and England.Physical description: Foliation: this file consists of two physical volumes. The foliation sequence (used for referencing) commences at f 1 of volume one (ff 1-130) and terminates at f 247 of volume two (ff 131-247); these numbers are written in pencil, are circled, and are located in the top right corner of the recto side of each folio. A previous foliation sequence, which is also circled, has been superseded and therefore crossed out. The foliation sequence does not include the front and back covers, nor does it include the leading and ending flyleaves.
Abstract: A copy of a letter from Marquess Wellesley, Governor-General of Bengal, to Samuel Manesty, Resident in Bussora [Basra], received 16 September 1802.The letter concerns Manesty’s conduct in chartering a ship owned by himself to carry dispatches to India at the East India Company’s expense.Physical description: 1 item (2 folios)
Abstract: Two copies of a letter from J A Grant, Secretary to the Government of Bombay, to Samuel Manesty, Resident in Bussorah [Basra], sent from Bombay Castle [Mumbai] and dated 10 November 1804.Grant reports that the French privateer
La Fortunehas been captured west of Bombay by the British ship
Concorde, and asks Manesty to report this to the Court of Directors of the East India Company.Physical description: 1 item (4 folios)
Abstract: A copy of a letter from Captain John Cumming, Commander of the brig
Trimmer, to Samuel Manesty, Resident in Bussora [Basra], sent from Bussora and dated 29 December 1804.The letter reports attacks on the
Trimmerand other ships in the Persian Gulf by ‘pirates’, which Cumming attributes to the shaiks [shaikhs] of Linja [Bandar Lengeh] and Rusul Khima [Ra’s al-Khaymah].This copy was enclosed in Manesty’s letter to Marquess Wellesley, Governor-General of Bengal, dated 2 January 1805 (catalogued as IOR/L/PS/9/76/372).Physical description: 1 item (2 folios)
Abstract: A copy of a letter from Captain Robert Babcock, Commander of the ship
Shannon, to Samuel Manesty, Resident in Bussorah [Basra], sent from Basra and dated 29 December 1804.Babcock describes the capture of the
Shannonby the Gausemee Arabs [al-Qawāsim] and his subsequent journey to Bushire [Bushehr] and Bussorah.This copy was enclosed in Manesty’s letter to Marquess Wellesley, Governor-General of Bengal, dated 2 January 1805 (catalogued as IOR/L/PS/9/76/372).Physical description: 1 item (2 folios)
Abstract: A copy of a letter from Robert Rickards, Secretary to the Government of Bombay, to George Hilaro Barlow, Chief Secretary to the Government of Bengal, sent from Bombay Castle [Mumbai] and dated 5 June 1801.The letter concerns the conduct of Samuel Manesty, Resident in Bussora [Basra], who chartered a ship owned by himself to carry dispatches to Bombay [Mumbai] at the East India Company’s expense.Physical description: 1 item (2 folios)