the rivalries of trade brought them into collision with. Both the Portuguese, who had been long established in India, and the Dutch, who had more recently entered into the trade, early began to employ force as well as intrigue against the new-comers; but hitherto with little effect. In spite of all their endeavours, Captain Best, who conducted what is called the tenth voyage, succeeded, in 1613, in obtaining a firman, or charter, from the Great Mogul, allowing the company to establish a factory at Surat, granting them the privilege of introducing their merchandise at a certain fixed rate of duties, and engaging to protect both their trade and the persons and property of those engaged in it from the hostility of the Portuguese and all others. And the same year Captain Saris, who had gone out with the eighth adventure, obtained from the Emperor of Japan equally ample privileges for his dominions. It was now resolved that all future voyages should be on account of the company as one united body. The first fleet, accordingly, fitted out upon this new scheme sailed under the command of Captain Downton in March, 1614: it consisted only of four ships; but with this small force Downton was fortunate enough to repel a formidable attack of the Portuguese, with whom, on his arrival in the country, he found the Mogul at war, a victory which proved of the greatest service, not only in attaching that monarch to the interests of the company, but in exalting the English name and character in the opinion of the people of all northern and central India. The favourable impression thus made was judiciously followed up by the dispatch in January, 1615, along with another small fleet, of Sir Thomas Roc in the quality of ambassador to the Indian emperor from the king of England, and by the successful exertions of that envoy, who continued to reside at the Mogul's court till the year 1619, and was enabled to obtain various important extensions of the privileges formerly granted to the company. The company now possessed factories, not only at Acheen, Zambee, and Tecoa, in Sumatra; at Surat, Amadavad, Agra, Azmere, or Agimere, and Burampore, in the dominions of the
