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: Two letters 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].The first letter, dated 26 May 1783, covers the transit of overland mail via Aleppo, in particular the clash of authority between Mrs Marianna Abbott, the widow of the late Consul John Abbott, and David Hays, Proconsul, over the management of correspondence in Aleppo.The second letter, dated 18 June 1783, covers subjects including:Arrangements for the travel of Major Geils and M Froment to India and the transit of the important despatches they are carrying, including preliminary peace articles with France, Spain, and America [American Revolutionary War, 1775-1783]The difficulties in communicating with Muscat due to a blockade by Grain [Kuwait] following an attack on Zebara [Al Zubara] by Sheik Nassir [Shaikh Nāṣir Khān Āl Mazkūr] of Bushire [Bushehr]Latouche’s complaints against David Hays regarding his management of correspondence in AleppoThe murder of Shaik Baracat [Shaikh Barakāt] by his brother Guthman [Ghazbān] and the latter’s assumption of the leadership of the Chaub Arabs [Banū Ka‘b].Physical description: 1 item (4 folios)