Diary and Consultations of Mr Alexander Douglas, Agent of the East India Company at Gombroon [Bandar-e ʻAbbās] in the Persian Gulf, commencing 2 October 1760 and ending 30 December 1761

Content

The volume is in the form of a diary, which contains records of consultations at the Gombroon [Bandar-e ʻAbbās] Factory An East India Company trading post. . The Chief Agent, Alexander Douglas, and the Factory An East India Company trading post. 's Council member Dymoke Lyster, 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 An East India Company trading post. . 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:

• Reports of the enmity between Carem Caun [Karīm Khān Zand, Vakil Elected representative or attorney, acting in legal matters such as contracting marriage, inheritance, or business; a high-ranking legal official; could also refer to a custodian or administrator. of Persia, also written as Carim] and Nasseir Caun [Nāsir Khān Āl Mazkūr, Shaikh of Būshehr, ruled 1162-1203/c 1749-1788]
• The Imaum of Muscat's [Imam of Muscat, also written as Muscatt] assisting Nasseir Caun and the Benimine [Banu Mu‘in, also written Benime] and Charrack Arabs [Al-‘Ali, based at Charrack, modern (Bandar) Charak] in their wars with the Arabs of Julfar [Julfār, in what is now Ra's al Khaymah]
• Exchange of letters between the Agent, and the President and Governor-in-Council at Bombay, Charles Crommelin
• Records of the activities of French and Dutch vessels
• The arrival of wool from Carmenia, [Kerman, also written as Cermina]
• Records of letters received from the Linguist (i.e. interpreter) at Carmenia
• Rumours of Sharrook Caun [Shāhrokh Mīrzā Afshār, c 1734-1796, Governor of Kerman] being killed during the siege of Bahabad [?] in October 1760
• Reports of engagement between Shaik Ally Caun (Shaikh Ali Khān Zand, Sardar Leader of a tribe or a polity; also refers to a military rank or title given to a commander of an army or division. = one of Carem Caun's generals) and the joint troops of Fattally Caun [Fath Ali Khān Afshar, General] and Azad Caun [Āzād Khān Ghilza'ī, Beglerbeg of Azarbāijān]
• Reports of plague spreading among Carem Caun’s troops in Tauroun [Tehran, also written as Tairoun]
• Accounts of damaged cloth delivered out of the Company’s warehouse
• Communication with Jaffar Caun [Ja‘afar Khān Āl Mazkūr, Governor of Gombroon and brother of Nāsir Khān]
• Communication with Saddock/ Sadduck Caun of Schyrash [Sadiq Khān Zand, Governor of Shiraz, and brother of Karīm Khān] to protect the Linguist
• News of the Drake and the Swallow being detained at Bussorah [Basra, also written as Bossarah]
• The removal of William Shaw from the charge of the Bussorah Residency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, established in the provinces and regions considered part of, or under the influence of, British India.
• Copies of the Committee of Accounts' remarks on the Gombroon accounts, particularly regarding the table expenses
• The Imaum of Muscat meeting with Shaik Rached [Rashid bin Matar, also written Rachid] of Julfar
• News of the victory of Hossein Caun Cajar [Moḥammad Ḥasan Khān Qājār, Governor of Astarabad] over the troops of Carem Caun at Mazandroon [Mazandaran]
• News of tribal conflict at Kishme [Qishm, Qeshm]
• Reports of the scarcity of water at Ormuse [Jazīreh-ye Hormoz, Hormuz, Ormuz, also written as Ormus], and the Bennimine Arabs moving to reside at Gombroon
• Reports of the activities of Shaik Ramah [Raḥmah bin Maṭar al-Qāsimī One of the ruling families of the United Arab Emirates; also used to refer to a confederation of seafaring Arabs led by the Qāsimī tribe from Ras al Khaima. , Shaikh of Julfār]
• Reports of Carem Caun putting the people of Arratt [Herat], and Paschavar [Peshawar] to his obedience.

The diary includes records of letters exchanged between the Resident at Bussorah, William Shaw, and the Factory An East India Company trading post. covering the following: details of events taking place at Bussorah and Bagdat [Baghdad]; trade with the Bashaw An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders. of Bagdat [ Pasha An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders. of Baghdad]; and the delivery of packets to the Court of Directors The London-based directors of the East India Company who dealt with the daily conduct of the Company's affairs. via Aleppo and via Stambole [Istanbul].

The diary also includes records of the arrival and departure of ships, including the Fezraboony (also written as Fuzerabooni ), the Roumania , the Monmouth , the Godolphin , the Stormont , the Prince Edward , the Rose Galley , and the Fort William .

Ships sailed mainly to and from Gombroon, Bombay, Bussorah, Bengall [Bengal], Muscat, Charrack, Madrass [Madras], Island of Kishme, the Mallabar Coast [Malabar], Judah [Jeddah], Ormus, Busshiere [Būshehr], Bassidore [Bāsaʻīdū], Batavia [Jakarta], and England.

The diary was received on board the Swallow on 31 January 1762.

The diary includes abstracts of the standard account disbursements for each month. These cover the following: garrison charges, hospital charges, table expenses, merchandised charges, the Afseen [Afsin] Garden, extraordinary charges, servants' wages, and ships' charges.

Extent and format

1 volume (72 folios)

Arrangement

The diary includes a table of contents (ff 2 verso The back of a sheet of paper or leaf, often abbreviated to 'v'. -4 recto The front of a sheet of paper or leaf, often abbreviated to 'r'. ) recording the main events and their sequence in the diary. The papers (ff 8-71) are arranged in chronological order from the front to the rear of the diary.

Physical characteristics

Foliation: the foliation sequence (used for referencing) commences at the first folio with 1 and terminates at the last folio with 72; these numbers are written in pencil, are circled, and are located in the top right corner of the recto The front of a sheet of paper or leaf, often abbreviated to 'r'. side of each folio. The foliation sequence does not include the front and back covers.

Pagination: the volume also contains an original pagination sequence.

Written in

English in Latin script

Type

Diary

Access & Reference

Original held at

British Library: India Office The department of the British Government to which the Government of India reported between 1858 and 1947. The successor to the Court of Directors. Records and Private Papers Documents collected in a private capacity.

Access conditions

Unrestricted

Archive reference

IOR/G/29/13

History of this record

Date(s)

2 Oct 1760-30 Dec 1761 (CE, Gregorian)

Subjects

ShipsVisitsAdministrationWool trade

Places

CarmeniaCharrackKishmeOrmusCerminaJulfarBussorahMuscat

People & organisations

East India Company FactoryĀl Bū Sa'īd dynasty, Imam of Muscat and OmanResident, BussoraNāṣir Khān Āl MazkūrShāhrokh Mīrzā AfshārJa’far Khān Āl MazkūrRaḥmah bin Maṭar al-QāsimīKarīm Khān ZandBanū Mu‘īn (Tribe)Āl ‘Alī (Tribe)

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Diary and Consultations of Mr Alexander Douglas, Agent of the East India Company at Gombroon [Bandar-e ʻAbbās] in the Persian Gulf, commencing 2 October 1760 and ending 30 December 1761, British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/G/29/13, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/node/9578> [accessed 24 April 2024]

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