"ملخّص يحتوي على معلومات بشأن الاتصال الأول لشركة الهند الشرقية مع الجزيرة العربية التركية، طالما أمكن تتبع ذلك من سجلات حكومة بومباي، بالإضافة إلى أسماء العديد من المقيمين البريطانيين والوكلاء السياسيين الذين عُينوا في بغداد والبصرة في الفترة بين ١٦٤٦ و ١٨٤٦ ميلادي، وبمرافقة معلومات أخرى" [و‎‎٦‎٥] (٢٢٦/١٣١)

WITH TURKISH ARABIA —1646 TO 1846.
99
and attached to the Residency, or that he might be permitted to engage on
the spot ten Turkish troopers at a total monthly expense of Rupees 150.
Neither of these applications were complied with by Government, on the
ground that the arrangement was unnecessary.
219. The Pacha of Bagdad having opened and made himself
acquainted with the contents of an official letter which had been addressed
by Mr. Manesty on the 21st March 1808 to Dr. Hine, then Acting
Resident at Bagdad, which Mr. Manesty had forwarded to that gentle
man through the Mussaleem at Bussorah, Mr. Manesty on the 27th
April 1808 addressed a letter to the Pacha, from which the following is
an extract, calling upon His Excellency for an explanation of the cir
cumstances which had induced him to
"commit this unjustifiable and unhandsome proceeding. Placing entire confidence in
your honor and in your assurances of attachment to me and to my country, I have
carried on my public correspondence with Mr. Hine uniformly through the Mussaleem
by means of the Chocadars belonging to Government, and when I delivered the last
packet to the Mussaleem for transmission to Bagdad by Ismail, I considered it as safe
as if I confided it to the care of any of my own immediate people, what then must
have been my surprise when on the 9th instant I received a written intimation from
Mr. Hine that you had, in direct departure from the established customs of all civilized
nations, and with a complicated degree of treachery, broken open my packet. Your
Excellency has abused the liberal confidence reposed in you, despised the sacred secrecy
of a seal, betrayed to the faithless* enemies of the British nation the official despatches
of a British Representative, and you have not hesitated to acknowledge your proceed
ings in a message to Mr. Hine, what is now my situation? Your Excellency has been
pleased not only to destroy the very foundations of confidence, but to unlink the chains
of amity. Previously persuaded that, although residing in an hostile country, its ruler
as my friend, I was satisfied and happy; my mind is now filled with doubt, suspicion,
and distrust, and I will not conceal from Your Excellency that I fear you allow yourself
to be influenced in your conduct by French influence and intrigue. Mr. Rich will
cause this letter to be delivered to Your Excellency, and I expect that you will without
delay, in reply, explain to me what kind of report I am to make to the British Gov
ernment on the subject of your late unjustifiable and unhandsome proceedings. I have
hitherto represented you in all my public communications as a person of superior
honor and understanding, and as a real friend to my nation and to myself; shall I
now say that you are inclined to loose the ties of amicable intercourse with India, and
that you meant not to abide by those engagements which have alone influenced the
Governor-General and the Governor of Bombay to permit the continuance of British
establishments at Bagdad and Bussorah, and to maintain amicable relations with you.
Express your sentiments, in order that I may expeditiously transmit them to Bombay
and receive the consequent command of my superiors."
On Mr. Manesty's letter—forwarding copy of his communication to
the Pacha, from which this extract is taken—reaching this Government,
he was directed in reply to inform Brigadier-General Malcolm of the
circumstance of the Pacha having opened the packet alluded to, and
leave the adoption of any further measures to that officer.
220. In reply to Mr. Manesty's letter the Pacha expressed surprize
at the strong tone in which that communication had been written, but
promised that for the future Mr. Manesty's packets to Bagdad " should
never be opened, nor their contents made known to any person
whatever."
* Meaning the French.