'Report on the Persian Army' [‎59v] (118/170)

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108
Training.
The medical staff seldom exists as explained in Chapter
VII, on departments, Medical.
On parade the battalion is divided into 10 companies, those
on the right being known as the Bahaderan and Mukhberan
respectively, the others being numbered from right to left.
Each company has 3 officers—1 sultan (captain), 2 naib a\al oi
naib doyum (1st or 2nd subalterns)..
Instruction in dril 1 and tactics is based upon the Austrian
system as imparted by the officers of the Austrian mission ot
1878. .
This mission trained a large number of officers and non
commissioned officers as instructors, many of whom remain ;
and it is to these officers that the Persian army, as represented
by the garrison of Tehran, is indebted for the limited training
it now enjoys. The training is restricted to the simplest ot
parade manoeuvres, and to a perfunctory use of arms; of any
higher training, of field manoeuvres, of musketry practice,
etc., the officers and men are kept in ignorance, and it would
appear that the main duty of the infantry officer and soldier ot
the Persian army has been fulfilled when they are able to take
part in a march past before the Shah in a fairly creditable
manner. The whole of the work done in Tehran by the
infantry, cavalry, and artillery (excepting always the Cossack
brigade), is subordinated to-this one aim and object. No call
is made upon the intelligence of the officer, or the soldierly
instincts of the men. . ,, .
As regards musketry training there is little to be said, the
expenditure of ball ammunition certainly does not exceed
five rounds per man per annum, and furthermore, as it is only in
the capital that any target practice takes place, the average per
man under arms is even less.
The Turk soldier of Azerbaijan, Khamseh, Kasvin, etc., is
not accustomed in his village to the use of arms, and is
generally quite new to his rifle when enlisted for service. His
deficiency is recognised by the authorities, and whatever am
munition may be set aside for musketry practice is devoted
to him, but owing to the absence of theoretical instruction and
the insufficiency of the practical, he acquires butlittle proficiency,
and remains untrained all his service.
It is otherwise with the tribal infantry, Kurd, Lur, Bakh-
tiari, etc., who carry arms from their youth upwards, but it is
certain that whatever skill they may possess has been learnt at
their own expense, not at that of the Government.
The Persian soldier proper of Kirman, Khorassan, Shiraz,
etc., comes between these two extremes. The reason of this
state of affairs is not far to seek. The officers are themselves
unfitted to impart instruction, whilst the Government is rarely
in a position to purchase ammunition for the training of the men,
or to safeguard it when purchased; moreover, the farming system
as applied to the stores leads to the gravest of abuses, and
prevents the Government from exercising any real check over
the almost public sale of its property. A sufficient supply of