IOR/R/15/1/34, ff 35-53

The letter is enclosing a copy of the Political Agent at Bussora's [Basra] dispatch to the Bombay Government, and a copy of the Chief Secretary's reply. The item therefore has three enclosures:

1 - Letter from Robert Taylor, Political Agent at Bussora to William Newnham, Chief Secretary to the Bombay Government dated 16 July 1824.

The enclosure reports on the rights and privileges that the Political Agent understands British subjects are entitled to at Bussora and Bagdad [Baghdad]. It discusses the rights of British subjects respecting customs duty, legal proceedings, and the right of the Residency to provide asylum. It further explains why the maintenance of these rights is of importance to British interests. It also outlines (to a very limited degree) the operation of the Ottoman legal system.

The enclosure contains a list of summaries of fifty-three articles of capitulation. As well as an extract of a treaty in French dated 1767.

2 - Letter No 1248 of 1824 from William Newnham to Robert Taylor dated 15 November 1824.

The enclosure is explaining that it is the position of the Bombay Government, that the benefits of British privileges at Bussora do not outweigh the costs of trying to maintain them. It further explains that the submitted list of protected persons is too broad in scope, and that the Political Agent does not have the authority to maintain a right of asylum. It therefore instructs the Political Agent to narrow the scope of these articles. It also notes a number of articles that the Government believes are perfectly reasonable as they stand. This enclosure is forwarding enclosure No 3 for further guidance.

3 - Letter No 1408 of 1821 from William Newnham to Captain G Hutchinson, Resident at Mocha dated 19 October 1821.

The enclosure is explaining, in response to a recent case at Mocha, that the Resident should protect persons (both Indian and Native) in the exclusive service of the Residency, unless the case is beyond his power of punishment. It notes that this does not include tradesmen, or merchants occasionally employed by the Residency, unless they are being persecuted on account of a connection to the British Government. The Resident is further reminded that the Residency at Mocha is of a purely commercial nature.

It further solicits the Resident's opinion on the merits of employing a broker solely for the work of the East India Company.