Riyaz al-salatin 7: PORTS OF HUGHLI AND SATGAON.

7

The Ports of Hughli and Satgaon are at a distance of half a karoh from each other. In former times, Satgaon was a large city, thickly populated, and was the seat of a Governor. And the factories of the Christian Portugese, and of other traders were also there. When Satgaon fell into ruin owing to its river silting up, the port of Hughli became populous. The Faujdars of this port had always been appointed directly by the Emperors of Delhi, and had little concern with the Nazims or Viceroys of Bengal. Nawab Jafar Khan brought the office of Faujdar of this port within his jurisdiction, as an appendage to the Nizamat and Diwani of Bengal, as will be mentioned hereafter, if God pleases. And in that the abovementioned Nawab placed the centre of the financial resources of the country of Bengal upon the customs-duties levied from traders, he maintained peaceful and liberal relations with the merchants of England, China, Persia, and Turan, and beyond the legitimate imports he did not levy one dam oppressively or against the established usage. Hence the port of Hughli, in his time, became more populous than before. And merchants of all the ports of Arabia and Ajam, and English Christians who were ship-owners and wealthy Mughuls made their quarters there; but the credit of the Mughul merchants was greater than that of merchants belonging to other classes. The English were absolutely prohibited from erecting towers and building bazars and forts and moats. After this, when oppression and extortion of the Faujdars increased, the port of Hughli declined, and Calcutta owing to the liberality and protection afforded by the English, and the lightness of the duties levied there, became populous.