290 / A HISTORY OF PERSIA. consul* had pointed out that, provided the Persian monarch should throw no unnecessary obstacles in the way of the new scheme, a commercial intercourse / between England and Persia, most profitable for both countries, might be easily established. The project was that English goods should be introduced into Persia by way of Turkey; but before attempting to carry it into execution it was necessary to be secure of some gua- rantee from the Persian government, against the future imposition of arbitrary exactions or preventive restric- tions. When the government of Azerbaeejan had been held by Abbass Meerza, that enlightened man had readily issued the necessary orders for the security of British trade ; but orders not depending on the rights of treaty were liable at any time to be recalled, and after the death of Abbass it became more than ever desirable that a commercial treaty should be entered into between Great Britain and Persia. But the Shah's government could not see that a trade which at that time annually drained their country of a considerable amount of gold, could possibly be profitable to Persia, and it consequently turned a deaf ear to the proposals of Sir John Campbell for the conclusion of a treaty. That envoy was of opinion that an agent deriving his power directly from the Crown, would have more influence at the Court of the Shah than he himself possessed as the representa- tive of the East India Company. Advantage was accord- ingly taken of the accession to the throne of Mahomed to change the direction of the British Mission at Tehran. Mr. Ellis was sent to Persia as his Britannic- Majesty's ambassador charged to congratulate the Shah
- Mr. BRANT.
