IOR/G/29/5/7

The item is in the form of a diary (ff 249-293), which contains records of consultations at the Gombroon [Bandar-e ʻAbbās] Factory. The Chief Agent, William Cockell, and the Factory Council members, including Edward Clift, James Smith, Thomas Waters, James Verelst, John Geekie and Walter Ray, headed the consultations. They recorded the daily activities, the administrative decisions made, letters received and sent, as well as visits to and from the Factory. The margin sections in the diary include headlines noting the main events recorded in the consultations.

Among the main details and issues recorded in the diary are the following:

• News of the moassells [muhassils: tax collectors] collecting tax from the merchants at Gombroon
• The arrival of the wool caphila [caravans] from Carmenia [Kerman]
• News of Ishmael Caun [Isma‘il Khan Khazima, Governor of Qa’inat] joined by Thomas Begg [Tahmasb Quli Khan Jalayir, Wakil al-Dawla] at Shyrosh [Shiraz] preparing to march against the Balloaches [Baluch]
• News of disputes among the Arabs of Muscat and the Imaum [Imam] who resides inland
• The Factory's success in obtaining letters in its favor from both Lettiff Caun [Muhammad Latif Khan Daryabegi, Admiral of the Persian Navy] and the Sardar [military commander] in order to get the Company's privileges approved by Thomas Caun [Tahmasb Khan]
• News of Mahmud Caun Balloach's [Muhammad Khan Baluch, Governor of Kuhgiluya] having been blinded with a dagger
• News of Shaikh Ahmud Madannah [Ahmad Madani], Muckless Caun [Mukhliss Khan?] and other prisoners being sent away to the camp
• News of Shaikh Russhett [Rashid] retiring from his position as the Shawbunder [Shahbander] of customs and Mirza Ishmael [Isma‘il] taking over
• The death of the Factory's Secretary, James Smith, in 1734
• News of Baugur Caun [Muhammad Baqir Khan Lari, Na’ib of Bandar ‘Abbas?] at Gombroon joining Sardar Thomas Begg [Beg] at Shyrash in marching against the Balloaches and making his way to Candahur [Kandahar]
• The accession of John Horne to the Governor chair at Bombay
• The appointment of James Verelst as Acting Secretary, following the death of James Smith
• The death of William Cordeux in 1734
• The death of the Dutch Chief in 1734
• Reports of the revolt of the Arabs of Bahreen [Bahrain] and the Shaikh of Jubarrah [the Jubarah Arabs]
• News of Ahmet Bashaw [Ahmet Pasha] being removed from Bagdat [Baghdad] and of Ishmael Bashaw [Ismail Pasha] being posted there
• The replacement of William Cockell by John Geekie
• The arrival of Mirza Tockey [Muhammad Taqi Shirazi, Governor General of Fars] in town and his delivery of a talligaw [taliqa/ talika: official order] to the Factory
• Agreement between the English Factory and the Dutch Factory regarding the wool trade
• The death of Factory employee Edward Clift
• News of troubles between the Arabs led by the second son of Shaikh Mahmud Manna’ [Al Muhammad, Muhammad bin Mani’, Shaykh of al-Muntafiq] and the Bashaw [Pasha] at Busarah
• Thomas Caun requesting English ships to take on board two persons going to Syndee [Sind] to carry the deceased Mahmud Ally Caun [Muhammad ‘Ali Khan Turkmen]
• News of the war between Thomas Caun and the Turks [Ottomans]
• Reports and letters related to actions taken by Mr Martin French at Busarah including his helping the Turks against Thomas Caun, and the consequences that this could have for the Factory and the East India Company
• News of Lettiff Caun being replaced by Bogger Caun [Baqir Khan, a Persian military officer] at Busarah
• Negotiations related to the granting of the King's rogoms [raqams or ruqums, also written in the diary as rogomms: royal grants confirming specific trading privileges].

The diary includes records of letters exchanged mainly between the factories at Gombroon and Spahaun and the Council at Bombay, as well as letters received from certain Persian officials. The diary also includes records of visits exchanged between the Factory's employees and Persian notables.

The diary also includes records of the arrival and departure of ships including the Britannia, the Trial Brigantine, the Carolina, the Robert Galley, the Kissing Peggy, the Peggy Grab, the Wilmington, the Royal George, the Jenny, the Sarah, the Hannah, the Prince of Wales Galley, the Fame, and the Cumberland Galley. It also includes records of Dutch and French ships such as the Valkurness of Bataira and the Four Sisters respectively. From Gombroon the ships sailed mainly to Surat, Madrass [Madras], Mallabar [Malabar], Bengall [Bengal], Busarah, Bassidore [Basidu, also written as Bassidors] and Bombay.

The diary includes abstracts of the standard account disbursements for each month. These cover the following: house expenses, garrison charges, the Afseen garden, hospital charges, medicines, marine charges, merchandised charges, house furniture, extraordinary charges, stable charges and servants' wages.