Notes Prepared for Reference during Curzon’s Tour of the Persian Gulf, and Other Papers on Persia and the Persian Gulf [‎275r] (549/678)

[This Document is the Property of Her Britannic Majesty’s Government.]
No. 1 .
Consul-General Wood to the Marquess of Salisbury.—(Received June 4 .)
(No, 17.)
My Lord, Tabriz, May 17, 1896.
I HAVE the honour to inclose, for your Lordship’s information, the copy of a
despatch I have addressed to Her Majesty’s Minister at Tehran, giving details of the
general state of affairs and of the occurrences which have taken place at Tabriz since
the accession of Muzzaffar Eddin Mirza to the Throne of Persia.
I have, &c.
(Signed) CECIL G. WOO!).
Inclosure in No. 1 .
Consul-General Wood to Sir M. Durand.
Sir, Tabriz, May 14, 1896.
IN continuation of my despatch to your Excellency of the 7th instant, in which
I reported the events which had occurred on and after the death of the late Shah, I
have the honour to submit the following.
Eor one or two days after the accession of Muzzafiar Eddin Mirza to the Throne of
Iran the lamentable state of affairs which I have brought to your Excellency’s notice
as prevailing in Tabriz, i.e., the disturbed state of the public mind, owing to the late
Shah’s intervention in the matter of the copper currency value of the kran and the
extraordinary prices to which the commonest necessaries of life had attained, a result
due partly to the above intervention as well as to the negligence and apathy of
our highest authorities in everything affecting the public welfare, had improved
somewhat.
Such improvement, however, became intermittent, and things had at last reached a
serious phase.
The resignation of the Beglerlegyship by the Emir Toman’s brother brought
matters almost to a crisis in the Bazaars.
The quality of the little bread exposed for sale at once deteriorated, and the public
mind became much disturbed.
The Emir Toman 10,000 Persian dinars, or a gold coin of that value. being induced, however, by the Shah, to accept the post vacated
by his brother, matters have again somewhat improved, for wheat has been ordered
from B/ussia and the surrounding districts, and is coming in, though slowly.
Ere long, it is to be hoped, things will return to their normal state.
1 have urged upon the Beglerbegy the importance of calming the public mind
by the publishing of Notices showing the efforts which are being hurriedly made by
the authorities to bring, if not plenty, at least a sufficiency of the necessaries of life
to Tabriz.
I have likewise suggested that some declaration should be promulgated by the
Shah, speaking of his affection for the province in which he has passed the best years
of his life, and of His Imperial Majesty’s firm intention to depart from Tabriz only
after he has seen it thoroughly supplied and contented.
Erom what I have heard since, my suggestions have been found good and are
likely to be carried out, with the exception of a hint which I had put forward that
the Shah should, in person, see to the distribution broadcast of a few thousands of
tomans 10,000 Persian dinars, or a gold coin of that value. to the populace.
This, it seems, would not he a correct proceeding, but the money will be distributed
by specially appointed officials,
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