'Persia and the Persian Question by the Hon. George Nathaniel Curzon, M.P.' [‎530] (593/714)

630
PERSIA
of Azer
baijan
with breech-loading Uchatius guns ; but the majority of the in
fantry still trail the old smooth-bore percussion musket.
The garrisons of the large towns in the province vary consider-
bly in strength, according to the season of the year, a much larger
Garrisons num ber being called out in summer than in winter. For
some years a large camp of exercise has been annually
formed near Tabriz, 8,000 to 9,000 men being assembledfor
drill under an Austrian officer, who is reported to have made a great
improvement in their efficiency. In 1890, however, the camp con
sisted of one cavalry regiment, 300 men, three battalions of infantry,
two horse-batteries, and a mountain or mule-battery of artillery.
The normal garrisons are as followSj entirely supplied by Azer
baijan regiments :—
Tabriz. —Two and a half battalions of infantry, one cavalry regiment 1
(Persian Cossacks), and three batteries of artillery.
Khoi. —One infantry regiment and one battery of artillery, besides-
some garrison artillery to man the guns of the fort. 2
Urumiah. One infantry regiment and a small force of artillery.
Maragha. -One infantry regiment and a small force of artillery.
Suj Bulak. —Half a regiment of infantry and a few artillerymen.
Ardehil. —Half a regiment of infantry and a few artillerymen.
For guarding the high road through the province from near Mianeh
to Julfa on the Aras, and for the maintenance of some ten guard
houses, which are mostly empty, the Government pays 12,000
tomans 10,000 Persian dinars, or a gold coin of that value. per annum to Prince Nasret-ed-Dowleh. At Maku, a curious
place near the Turkish frontier, where there is an inaccessible
stronghold formed by some natural caverns, 3 a powerful chief,
named Timur Pasha An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders. Khan, is paid by the Government to supply
2,000 cavalry. He keeps many more men, some say 10,000, mostly
armed with Martini-Henrys and Berdans, the latter being supposed
to be a gift from Russia, by whom it is alleged that he is subsidised.
Anyhow, he is not of the slightest use to Persia, being perfectly
independent, and paying no attention to instructions from Tabriz.
1 This regiment costs the Government 4,000 tomans 10,000 Persian dinars, or a gold coin of that value. a jear, but only consists
of 100 men.
Ihe fort of Khoi, which was designed by European engineers, is reported
on good nut lority to be the only fortress worth speaking of in Persia.
3 _ V ' dc ' a description of them by T. Alcock (1828), Travels in Russia, Persia, $c.
In his day also Maku was ' the residence of an independent chief, who is so jealous
of Russia and all his neighbours, that no European, except Colonel Monteith, had
ever been received by him.'