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 a glimmering perception of the value of this splendid site. Prior to the visit of the fleet, to which we are about to refer, the Directors, writing out from home, had urged upon their representatives at Surat the advisability of establishing a fortified settlement on the island of Bombay or some other suitable spot in its vicinity. Mr. William Foster, in his introduction to one of the volumes of his transcripts of the Indian Records, suggests that the Court were prompted to make this proposal by Jeronimo de Pavia, a converted Portuguese Jesuit, who was taken to England in one of the Company's ships in 1625. Whether this was the case or not, the suggestion came to nothing, for the excellent reason that the Surat factors had no means at their disposal to carry out such a bold policy as was implied in the virtual conquest of a Portuguese possession within easy striking distance of Goa. In the communication in which the proposition was shown to be impracticable the Company's representatives mentioned that they had proposed to the Dutch a joint scheme of fortified posts but had received an unsympathetic reply. As far as the special object of the Company's attentions was concerned, the Surat functionaries agreed that the position was a desirable one. "Bombay," they wrote, "is noe ill ayre, but a pleasant, fruitful soyle and excellent harbour."

When about the middle of October, 1626, the combined fleet sailed into Bombay harbour, they found that the Portuguese Admiral, Botelho, had escaped them. He had probably heard of the approach of the formidable force of the enemy and had taken shelter under the guns of the Goa fortifications where the English and Dutch could not safely assail him. In their exasperation at being robbed of their anticipated prey, the two commanders decided to lay waste