Diary and Consultations of Mr Alexander Douglas, Agent of the East India Company at Gombroon [Bandar-e ʻAbbās] in the Persian Gulf, commencing 2 August 1755 and ending 30 July 1756.
- Holding institution:
- British Library. India Office Records and Private Papers
- Data provider:
- Qatar National Library
- Title:
- Diary and Consultations of Mr Alexander Douglas, Agent of the East India Company at Gombroon [Bandar-e ʻAbbās] in the Persian Gulf, commencing 2 August 1755 and ending 30 July 1756.
- Date:
- 1755/1756
- Description:
- Abstract: The volume is in the form of a diary, which contains records of consultations at the Gombroon [Bandar-e ʻAbbās] Factory. The Chief Agent, Alexander Douglas, and the Factory's Council members John Parsons and Nathaniel Pomfret headed the consultations. They recorded the daily activities, the administrative decisions made, letters sent and received, as well as visits to and from the Factory. Records of significant political and military operations in the region are also preserved.Among the main details and issues recorded in the diary are the following:Records of the East India Company's (EIC's) cash, staff salaries, and invoicesRecords of letters to commanders of the EIC's ships along with sailing ordersRecords of the activities of French and Dutch vesselsRecords of traded commodities such as woollen goods, wood, broad cloth, sugar, candy, iron, spices, lead, tin, and carpetsRecords of the amounts of wool arriving from Carmenia [Kerman]Records of letters received from the Linguist (i.e. interpreter) at Carmenia advising on the amount of wool sent and the billsNews of the death of George Forbes, the Factory's Surgeon, in October 1755News of the death of Factory member, John Parsons, in December 1755, and the appointment of Nathaniel Pomfret [also written Pomfrett] in his place.The diary includes records and news of inland military operations. The main governors and military officers conducting the operations are: Ahmed Shaw [Ahmad Shah Afghan Dorrani, also known as Ahmad Shah Abdali ruled 1747-1772]; Sharrook Caun [Shāhrokh Mīrzā Afshār, c 1734-1796, Governor of Kerman, also written as Shawrook and Sharroock]; Carem Caun [Karīm Khān Zand, Vakil of Persia]; Azad Caun [Āzād Khān Ghilza'ī, d 1782, Beglerbeg of Azarbāijān]; Nasseir Caun [Nāsir Khān Āl Mazkūr, Shaikh of Būshehr, ruled 1162-1203/c 1749-1788]; Hossan Caun Cadjar [Muhammad Hasan Khan Qajar, also written as Hossain]; Ally Caun Shahesamon [‘Ali Khan Shahsevan Baghdadi, one of Karim Khan's officers, also written as Shahesamand, and Shahesaman]; Shaik Hattem [Shaikh Hatim bin Jubbarah al-Nasuri, an Arab Shaikh based at Lar]; Moolah Abdul Carem Guialadary (Mulla Abd al-Karim Gallahdari, also written as Gualadory]; Zamoun Caun Ophgoon [Zaman Khan Afghan, one of Ahmed Shah's officers]; Goulam Shaw Caun [Ghulam Shah Khan, one of Ahmed Shah's officers]; Moolah Ally Shaw [Mulla Ali Shah, fl 1740-1760, the Governor of Gombroon]; Shaik Rama of Julfar [Raḥmah bin Maṭar al-Qāsimī, Shaikh of Julfār]; Mahomet Raza Caun [Muhammad Reza Khan]; Fattally Caun [Fath Ali Khan]; and Mahomet Caun Zand [Muhammad Khan Zand].The main regions involved in the military campaigns are: Lhar [Lar, also written as Lhor], Spahaun [Eṣfahān], Casbin [Qazvin, also written Cazbin], Yazd, Hodjebaud [Haji Abad, also written Hodjeabaud], Tarroun [Tehran], Ahmadabaud [Ahmad Abad], Tabreez [Tabriz], Corasoon [Khorasan, also written as Carasoon], Mushad [Mashhad], Casshoun [Kashan], Rasht, Roumia [Rumiyyah], Guirmassir [Garmsir, also written as Guiarmassir, and Garmassir], Mesandroon [Mazandaran], Shyrash [Shiraz, also written as Shirash], Fars [also written as Farse], Sistan, Nessabour [Nishapur], and the Island of Kishme [Qishm, Qeshm].The diary includes records of letters exchanged between the Factory and members of the Council of Bombay. The letters cover the situation of affairs in the region, the Act of Parliament related to officers and soldiers in the service of the Company, and a copy of sundry paragraphs (folios 29-44) of the Company’s commands on the ship Dragonrelated to the Gombroon Factory.Another group of letters recorded in the diary are the ones exchanged with William Shaw, Resident at Bussorah [Basra, also written as Bussora] and with Francis Wood, the Resident at Bunderick [Bandar-e-Rīg, also written as Bunder Reek and Bundreek]. The former contain information on the state of affairs at Bussorah, and Bagdad [Baghdad, also written as Bagdat], the cash received, the packets dispatched to the British Consulate at Aleppo, the Dutch activities, relations with the Turks [Ottomans], in addition to a detailed narrative of Mr Shaw's dispute with the Mussaleem [Mutasallim] of Bussorah, (folios 60-66v). The letters exchanged with the Bunderick Resident contain information on the following: the state of affairs at Bunderick and Carack [Bandar-e Chārak], relations with Meer Hossain [Mir Husayn bin Nasir al-Zu‘abi, Governor of Bunderick, also written as Hossan], the establishment of a factory there, relations with the Chief of the Dutch Factory, and the dispute with Meer Maanna [Mir Muhanna bin Nasir al-Zu‘abi, also written as Manna, brother of Meer Hossain].The diary includes records of the arrival and departure of ships, including the Experiment Snow, the Neptunegalley, the Success, the Pasteronia, the Prince George, the Prince Edward, the Cawdery, the WarrenKetch, the Houghton, the Fezraboony[Fayz Rabbani], the Bridgewater, the Swallow, the Ally Racky, the Countryketch, and the Stretham.The ships sailed mainly to and from Gombroon, Bombay, Bussorah, Bunderick, Bengal [also written as Bengall], Surat, Cochin, Carack, Batavia [Jakarta], Busshire [Būshehr, also written Bussheir, Busshire] and Ormuse [Jazīreh-ye Hormoz, Hormuz, Ormuz].The diary includes abstracts of the standard account disbursements for each month. These cover the following: table expenses, garrison charges, the Afseen [Afsin] Garden, merchandised charges, extraordinary charges, stable charges, servants' wages, ships' charges, and factory repairs.Physical description: Foliation: the foliation sequence (used for referencing) commences at the first folio with 1 and terminates at the last folio with 90; these numbers are written in pencil, are circled, and are located in the top right corner of the recto side of each folio.The foliation sequence does not include the front and back covers.
- Language:
- English
- Type:
- Archival file
- Type (Narrower):
- Other Texts
- Type (Broader):
- Text
- Subject:
- Visits
Administration
Ships
Wool trade - Geographic region:
- لار
جرمسير
حاجي آباد
بوشهر
البصرة
باتافيا
كرمان
بومباي - Rights:
- رخصة حكومة مفتوحة
- Identifier:
- 81055/vdc_100000001251.0x000366_ar
81055/vdc_100000001251.0x000366_en
IOR/G/29/9
IOR/G/29/9