Page:A Comprehensive History of India Vol 1.djvu/289

 Chap. I.] SUCCESS OF CAPTAIN BEST. 255

far more effectual than their previous attempts at negotiation, and Jehangir, ad. icis. becoming as anxious to secure their alliance as he had previously been indif- ferent or averse to it, entered into a treaty in i-egular form. The principal clauses in this treaty were: — That the Enolish should have full freedom of trade ^esfs treaty in his dominions; that their persons, while ashore, should be protected from Jiogui. the Portuguese; that their imports should pay only 3^ per cent, as customs; that in cases of death no fees should be demanded, and the goods of the deceased should be delivered up to the first English ships which miglit subse- quently an'ive ; that in cases of wrong, redress should be speedily obtained; and that an English ambiissador should be received, and permitted to reside at the Mogul court. This important treaty was finally delivered, with much formality, to Captain Best at Swally, on the 6th of February, 1613.

A great object had now been gained. The Portuguese claim to control the trade had been expressly disowned by the Great Mogul himself, and a permanent footing had been secured in several large commercial emporiums, where consi- derable sales of English goods could be made on favourable terms, and an unlimited supply obtained of the goods best fitted both for the home market and for barter against the spices of the Indian Archipelago. The affaire of the Company thus assumed a more promising appearance than they had ever presented before, and capital for future investments began to flow into their coffers. It was scarcely possible that, in these circumstances, the desultory mode of management hitherto pursued could be continued ; and in the determi- nation announced by the directors to abandon the system of separate adven- tures, and trade in future on a joint stock, we see nothing more than a necessary result of their altered and improved position.

The resolution to trade in future on a joint stock, under the immediate riieCom- management of the Company, must have been favourably received, as a sum to trade of £429,000 was raised for the purpose, and apportioned in fitting out four °"',ft°to^ij voyages, which were to sail successively in the years 1613, 1614, 1615, and 1616. The fleets were larger than had been previously employed : the first two consisting of eight vessels each, the third of six, and the fourth of seven. The voyages themselves possess little interest; but the results, though not so extravagant as when they were swelled by the spoliation of native ships, were on the whole satisfactory, as the average return of profit was 87g per cent. The most important incidents which occuiTed during the performance of these voyages were — a new encounter with the Portuguese in the road of Swally, in January, 1615, when a large fleet, under the command of the Viceroy of Goa in person, having wantonly attacked the English, was signally defeated, with the loss of 3.50 men; a declaration of war between the Portuguese and the Great Mogul, and a consequent strengthening of the English alhance with the latter ; and the arrival of Sir Thomas Roe, invested with full j)owers to act as ambassador from the King of England.