Letters and Enclosures on Persia received from Bassora, 1799-1811 [‎580v] (1169/1542)

Content

Originals and duplicates of correspondence, comprising secret letters, excerpts of reports, schedules, translated letters and transcripts in original languages (Ottoman Turkish and French), in 331 enclosures received from Bassora [Basra, Iraq] and addressed to the Secret Department. Papers relate to diplomatic, political, military, and commercial transactions principally with Qajar Persia [Iran], and affairs in what is now present-day Iraq, as well as Syria, Egypt, Arabia, the Sublime Porte or Constantinople [Istanbul], Oman, Russia, Afghanistan, independent states of India, and the East India Company [EIC], dating between 1799-1804 and 1809-1811. This volume is of particular interest for material relating to the Napoleonic Wars and French actions across the eastern Mediterranean, West Asia and India. Other matters covered in the volume include the report of a plot to expel the British from India; insults to the British in Bassora; repercussions of the dispute between Sir Harford Jones and Brigadier-General John Malcolm as representatives of the British Crown and the EIC respectively; dynastic revolution in Afghanistan; raids on British overland packet trains by Whahabee [ Wahhābī A follower of the Islamic reform movement known as Wahhabism; also used to refer to the people and territories ruled by the Al-Saud family. ] Arabs; schedules of postal traffic to and from India and Europe via Bassora; disputes between EIC officials in Constantinople and Bassora resulting in disciplinary action; the description of the garrison at Bombay [Mumbai]; the trade in weapons; textile trade; Armenian merchants; the British seizure of ‘Bania’ property; and the reported surrender of the Muscat Government to British officials. Correspondents include Samuel Manesty, Resident, Bassora; John Spencer Smith, His Britannic Majesty’s Minister Plenipotentiary to the Sublime Porte; Peter Fooke, Agent for the Honorable United English East India Company at Constantinople; Charles Pasley, Political Agent A mid-ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Agency. , Persia; Sir William Sidney Smith, Commander-in-Chief of His Britannic Majesty’s Fleet.

Extent and format

1 volume (767 folios)

Arrangement

The entries are not recorded in chronological order, alternating in theme and date from the front to the rear of the volume.

Physical characteristics

Foliation: the foliation sequence (used for referencing) commences at the first folio with 1 and terminates at the last folio with 767; 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 volume also contains an earlier foliation sequence.

Written in

English, French, Arabic and Turkish, Ottoman in Latin and Arabic script

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