'Selections from State Papers, Bombay, regarding the East India Company's Connection with the Persian Gulf, with a Summary of Events, 1600-1800' [‎158r] (315/540)

237
CLXXV.
George Skiep to Henet Mooee , Agent, etca., Conaoil at Bnssora.
Gentlemen,
Agreeable to what I wrote you in the enclosed I waited on the Vackee], A g r ? emen t with
and he again after much discourse confirmed his former promises, and ordered
a writing to be drawn out for that purpose, which he the next day sent me a
translate of which I now enclose you under 2, it contains an obligation for
the payment of 15,000 Tamaunds after the capture of Carrack, a grant of the
island etca., also an obligation on his part to be responsible for any damage
which should in future be incurred by the Chaub on our part, under N?. 3 you
will also receive a translate of the Vackeel's orders to the Chabb, in which you
will please to observe the Turks and all others are included, this order he now
dispatches to the Chaub a copy thereof signed and attested he has delivered to
me, another copy he has also delivered to the Ohaub's Agent and his son
giving them at the same time the most positive injunctions to go and
inform the Chaub, if he in any shape broke these orders he might depend on
his severest resentment.
With respect to the priviledges he last year promised to grant us of a free
and open commerce throughout his dominions, he gave me his most solemn
promise he would grant the whole of it as soon as he found we really intended to
assist him, and, as he has some points to settle with the Shaiks of Bushire before
he opened the road from thence, he must defer giving the grants till that which
would be concluded shortly.
On the Vackeel delivering the abovementioned papers, I promised him that
all our forces in the Gulph either at Bussora or Bushire should proceed to
hostilities against the Meer and do their utmost to take Carrack, my reasons for
which I hope I have explained to your satisfaction in the accompanying
address, and I have now to request you will be pleased to direct my promise
given to the Vackeel may be carried into execution as soon as possible after the
receipt of this address.
Untill the papers were actually delivered me I could not be certain the
Vackeel would accept of our service against Carrack, the Shaiks of Bushire
and all their party were daily urging him to reject our proffered service, and
they offered to undertake it, this however the Vackeel did not entirely confide
in, but a few day^ ago the brother of Shaik Abdulla of Ormus arrived with
Offer of his Fci'ce and then jointly with the Shaiks of Bushire requested they
might perform that service for him, and I believe to the last moment the
Vackeel was in Doubt, whether he should or should not accept thereof, when
the addition of Shaik Abdulla's force joined to the Shaiks of Bushire was
offered to the Vackeel I began much to fear he would accept thereof, he at
last however sent me the papers, and declared to them he has passed his word
to the English to grant them many favours and immunities on condition of
their rendering him that service and he would not break his word to them, as
affairs were so critically circumstanced here, I was glad to get the papers at
any rate, his rejecting our assistance against Carrack would have been also a
refusal of concerning himself any further in our sffairs with the Chaub, and
though affairs are not concluded near so favourably us we could wish at present,
yet at the same time the Vackeel does and all along has declared that as soon
as ever we render him some service by which he may be convinced we are