'Report on the Persian Army' [‎47v] (94/170)

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even a small part of the Persian army in the hands of
iei own officers, and in spite of many contretemps and much
opposition has now maintained the mission for more than
twenty years, the “ record ’ life of a military mission in Persia
An important fact is that the chief of the Cossack brigade is
the actual and responsible commander and paymaster, while
chiefs of former missions have been only nominal commanders
without any discretionary powers over pays and promotions.
1 uring the last few years the Russian Government has supplied
the arms and munitions for the whole brigade gratuitously, and
he chief being m continual direct communication with the
iiussian \\ ar Office, under whose orders he is, the brigade is
practically a Russian force, and as a German writer The lowest of the four classes into which East India Company civil servants were divided. A Writer’s duties originally consisted mostly of copying documents and book-keeping. lately
stated. “ Persia’s capital is already in the hands of Russia.’’
1 he importance which the Persian authorities attach to the
position of the chief of the Cossack brigade and the little
consideration which they have for the other instructors is well
illustrated by the way m which those persons figure in the
official army list. 1 he Russian colonel is “ His Excellency, the
Amir of the Great Amirs (the usual way of addressing an Amir
"r 0 ’ Kossakoffsky, Chief and Commander of the Brigade,”
( Rais va fermandar ), while General Wagner is “Wagner Khan
^ 1 nstructor-in-Cliief. In comparison with former times
the inHux of military men of various nationalities who came to
find emp oy has been very small during the twenty years since
the establishment of the Russian mission. In the early
eighties there came an Italian who was engaged as drum-
major, and perhaps aspiring to a higher position, committed
murder and was transported home to be hanged. Ten years
later a Bulgarian found Ins way to Teheran, became infantry
instructor, and committed suicide. Then there came another
Italian, Major Maletta, who had been a subaltern in the Italian
army and served for some years with distinction in the
where he attained the rank of major,
service when British officers took
b&yptian Gendarmerie,
He left the Egyptian
command of the forces,
infantry instructor; he
came to Persia, and was engaged as
, * -• 3 a smart and efficient officer. There
BorchthnTd an i AllStnan lieu J e nant of dragoon guards, Count
rooims! ?fV Vh A° S T n the P ° St of cavalr y instructor at the
iu? t f t , he Ausfnan Legation and returned to Europe after
without, it is said, having
There are now only
three years’ residence in Teheran
once attended any drill or manoeuvre
two European instructors in Persian
Maletta.
By a decree issued in July, 1875, it
aim^ should foi the future be raised by uoiiscnprion and that
hitwIL fT 10 ! sboU , d be twelve J' eal 's and not for life as
ivstem a b s U dS e ‘ aS UeVer beei * enforoe<1 . and the old
^ Tl *«
SS 1 v'hT^for .nle"! S
service, Wagner and
was ordered that the
conscription and that