43 °
EARLY EUROPEAN SETTLEMENTS.
the astonishment of the natives, who had hitherto consideredthem invincible. The first-fruit of this decisive victory wasthe pre-eminence of our factory at Surat , with subordinateagencies at Gogra, Ahmadabad , and Cambay. Trade wasalso opened with the Persian Gulf . In 1614, an agency wasestablished at Ajmere by Mr. Edwards of the Surat factory.The chief seat of the Company’s government in Western Indiaremained at Surat until 1684-87, when it was transferred toBombay . 1
In 1615, Sir Thomas Roe was sent by James 1. as am-bassador to the court of Jahangir , and succeeded in placingthe Company’s trade in the Mughal dominions on a morefavourable footing. In 1618, the English established a factoryat Mocha; but the Dutch compelled them to resign all pre-tensions to the Spice Islands . In that year also, the Companyfailed in its attempt to open a trade with Dabhol, Baticala,and Calicut , through a want of sincerity oh the part of theZamorin, or Calicut Raja. In 1619 we were permitted toestablish a factory and build a fort at Jask, in the Persian Gulf .
In 1619, the ‘Treaty of Defence’ with the Dutch , to pre-vent disputes between the English and Dutch Companies, wasratified. When it was proclaimed in the East, the Dutch andEnglish fleets, dressed out in all their flags, and with yardsmanned, saluted each other. But the treaty ended in thesmoke of that stately salutation, and the perpetual strifebetween the Dutch and English Companies went on as bitterlyas ever. Up to this time, the English Company did notpossess any territory in sovereign right in the ‘ Indies,’ except-ing in the island of Lantore or Great Banda. The island wasgoverned by a commercial agent of the Company, who hadunder him thirty Europeans as clerks and warehousemen.This little band, with 250 armed Malays, constituted theonly force by which it was protected. In the islands of Bandaand Pulo Roon and Rosengyn, the English Company hadfactories, at each of which were ten agents. At Macassar andAchin they possessed agencies ; the whole being subordinateto a head factory at Bantam in Java .
In 1620, the Dutch , notwithstanding the Treaty of Defenceconcluded the previous year, expelled the English from PuloRoon and Lantore; and in 1621 from Bantam in Java . Thefugitive factors tried to establish themselves, first at Pulicat , and
1 Orders issued, 1684 ; transfer commenced; 1686 ; actually carried out,1687. Bombay Gazetteer , vol. ii. p. 98.