Arrest of Captain Kidd

In 1698 notorious pirate Captain Kidd attacked an Armenian ship named ‘Quedagh Merchant’, which was sailing in the Malabar Coast, on its way from Bengal to Surat. It was transporting 200 packs of muslin, 100 packs of calico, 20 packs of raw silk, 80 boxes of opium, 250 bags of sugar, iron, niter, gold bars, etc. The cost of the goods was 70,000 pounds. The ship was owned by the son an Armenian Calantar (Armenian elder). After putting the passengers and the crew ashore, the pirate captain sailed the ship to New York, half-way around the world. In retaliation the Armenian merchants ensured that trade with Europeans was banned in Surat and Bengal. As a result the British India Company was on the verge of collapse, and the lucrative trade between Europe and India was under threat. To assuage the Armenian merchants, the British arrested Captain Kidd.

In 1698 notorious pirate Captain Kidd attacked an Armenian ship named ‘Quedagh Merchant’, which was sailing in the Malabar Coast, on its way from Bengal to Surat. It was transporting 200 packs of muslin, 100 packs of calico, 20 packs of raw silk, 80 boxes of opium, 250 bags of sugar, iron, niter, gold bars, etc. The cost of the goods was 70,000 pounds. The ship was owned by the son an Armenian Calantar (Armenian elder). After putting the passengers and the crew ashore, the pirate captain sailed the ship to New York, half-way around the world. In retaliation the Armenian merchants ensured that trade with Europeans was banned in Surat and Bengal. As a result the British India Company was on the verge of collapse, and the lucrative trade between Europe and India was under threat. To assuage the Armenian merchants, the British arrested Captain Kidd.