Publications, Newspaper Cuttings, Photographs and Correspondence about Persia and the Persian Gulf [‎306r] (612/879)

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URDAY. APRIL 16. 1904
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The Persian Army as it is.
BJ .
(Special for the Enalishman.)
er As an example of the “opera comique" in
21 daily life the Persian Army takes the first place
,| C with easy honours, the gorgeous absurdity of
s the whole fabric being augmented by the gravity
r with which it is taken in the country itself,
51
In “Persia” (Hon. G. Curzon) some idea of the
situation may be obtained but the writer’s
t natural moderation prevents anyone not
J thoroughly conversant with the situation, ap-
, preciating to the full one of the most amusing
, institutions in the East. Though from
time to time for some 150 years
past various attempts have been made to
i reorganise the service by the importation of
1 European officers as instructors, almost every
nationality having had the escendency in turn;
‘ at present the preference is givn to Italian
i- or Austrian officers of whom there are two or
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three at present on duty. The English officers
have been excluded by a decree lately passed
“that no English, Russian or Turkish subject
be admitted to any official post in the Persian
service,” owing to a dispute with the Russians
on the appointment of an English gentleman to
the superintendence of the Imperial Mint. He
was summarily dismissed, on the instigation of
the Russians and the above law passed as a
preventive measure, the rule, of course, as re
gards the Russians, being merely a farce.
Formation of the Army.
The principle of the formation of the Army
in Persia, is mostly a variation of the old feudal
customs in England, the most important of the
Provincial Governors supplying and equiping In
fantry, Cavalry and Artillery in proportion to
the wealth of their respective provinces. The
greater ones such as Khorasan, Azahaiyan,
Arabistan, Seistan and Khurkan, produce about
18,000 men, regulars and militia inclusive. There
are altogether about seven garrisons of six com
plete regiments of infantry and a couple of
batteries of Artillery on the strength of the
Regular List. There are, besides, the Teheran
regiments, one of Cossack Cavalry, one native
Infantry and two batterties of Artillery, present
ed by their very kind friend the Czar, who was
also good enough to provide, and insist on the
acceptance of Russian officers to superintend the
same. This Cavalry is composed of three Russian
officers, assisted by some six Persian and some
500 men, more or less trained, at least more
acquainted with the right end of the gun than
the average Persian “serbaz.” These troops oc-
cupy a fine set of barracks in Teheran and
are also quartered round the Maidan-i-Shah near
the Royal Palace. In Teheran there is also the
Military College for the training of the embryo
officers, which is commanded by two German offi
cers ,who have turned out with immense trouble,
a very superior article. The boys, of whom there
are about 120, appear smart, intelligent and to
take some pride in their duties, all which virtues
which will, doubtless disappear when left to
themselves on passing out. The Zil-es-Sultan
the elder half-brother of the Shah, had at one
time a well-trained, well-paid force under his
command at Ispahan, of which town he is
Governor, but this becoming too formidable he
was politely asked to disband it which he has
done, retaining only about 500 troops of a
very different stamp to the ordinary Persian.
The Official Gazette of Teheran aime the
306)
URDAY. APRIL 16. 1904
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The Persian Army as it is.
(Special for the Englishman.)
As an example of the "opera comique" in
daily life the Persian Army takes the first place
with easy honours, the gorgeous absurdity of
the whole fabric being augmented by the gravity
I with which it is taken in the country itself,
In “Persia” (Hon. G. Curzon) some idea of the
situation may be obtained but the writer’s
natural moderation prevents anyone not
; thoroughly conversant with the situation, ap
preciating to the full one of the most amusing
institutions in the East. Though from
time to time for some 150 years
past various attempts have been made to
reorganise the service by the importation of
European officers as instructors, almost every
•nationality having had the escendency in turn;
at present the preference is givn to Italian
or Austrian officers of whom there are two or
three at present on duty. The English officers
have been excluded by a decree lately passed
“that no English, Russian or Turkish subject
be admitted to any official post in the Persian
service,” owing to a dispute with the Russians
on the appointment of an English gentleman to
the superintendence of the Imperial Mint. He
was summarily dismissed, on the instigation of
the Russians and the above law passed as a
preventive measure, the rule, of course, as re
gards the Russians, being merely a farce.
Formation of the Army.
The principle of the formation of the Army
in Persia, is mostly a variation of the old feudal
customs in England, the most important of the
Provincial Governors supplying and equiping In-
fantry, Cavalry and Artillery in proportion to
the wealth of their respective provinces. The
greater ones such as Khorasan, Azahaiyan,
Arabistan, Seistan and Khurkan, produce about
18,000 men, regulars and militia inclusive. There
are altogether about seven garrisons of six com
plete regiments of Infantry and a couple of
batteries of Artillery on the strength of the
Regular List. There are, besides, the Teheran
regiments, one of Cossack Cavalry, one native
Infantry and two batterties of Artillery, present
ed by their very kind friend the Czar, who was
also good enough to provide, and insist on the
acceptance of Russian officers to superintend the
same. This Cavalry is composed of three Russian
officers, assisted by some six Persian and some
500 men, more or less trained, at least more
acquainted with the right end of the gun than
the average Persian "serbaz." These troops oc-
cupy a fine set of barracks in Teheran and
are also quartered round the Maidan-i-Shah near
the Royal Palace. In Teheran there is also the
Military College for the training of the embryo
officers, which is commanded by two German offi-.
cers ,who have turned out with immense trouble, :
a very superior article. The boys, of whom there
are about 120, appear smart, intelligent and to ’
take some pride in their duties, all which virtues
which will, doubtless disappear when left to
themselves on passing out. The Zil-es-Sultan
the elder half-brother of the Shah, had at one
time a well-trained, well-paid force under his
command at Ispahan, of which town he is
Governor, but this becoming too formidable he
was politely asked to disband it which he has
done, retaining only about 500 troops of a
very different stamp to the ordinary Persian.
The Official Gazette of Teheran gives the army as
150,000, men, the true figures being about
40,000 of which number many hundreds are
away on permanent leave. The nominal pay
of the soldier is from £3—25 per annum, that
of the “sertip” . or Colonel being about £400.
Actually, however, the private soldier is very
lucky to get from 5—10 shillings per month in
cluding his allowances, the rest being appro-
priated by his officers in proportion to their
rank, any complaints being out of the question
from their utter futility. For the private
soldier one must feel some degree of pity, but for,
the officers, ignorant, cowardly and insolent one
can feel nothing but the utmost contempt. As
war material they are both too pitiful. The
years of oppression and cruelty to which the
men have submitted has rendered them en
tire’y spiritless and only too willing to lick the
boots of their seniors to save a fine of a few
pence. The soldier is allowed to augment his
pay, on payment of a certain percentage to his
office, by working as bricklayer, general labourer
or in some capacity in the bazars. During
my stay in Teheran, there were about eight regi-
ments, on paper, eligible for reviews, pay being i
drawn for this amount, whereas in reality there
were at most four; hence on a review day all
the street loungers were called in, given uniform
and a rifle, and a “kran” (4 pence) in re
turn for their services in marching past, which
being over the uniform was returned and the
“kran” promptly spent in riotous living. The
result can be imagined—a filthy, dirty rabble,
laughing and smoking as they marched or rather
slouched along, some with their boots slung
round their necks, and clothes that reminded oro
irresi-tably of Mark Twain's story of “The
M.sfits!" ’ '
Some Anecdotes.
। A good story was told me of a member of the
Persian guard attached to the English Lega
tion at Teheran. Being sound asleep on the
ground when on guard at the gates, he was
awakened by the noise of a carriage approaching
the gates. His rifle being out of reach, he
jumped up and seizing a thick stick lying near,
presented arms with that! The two following
anecdotes will illustrate the character of the
Persian soldier more clearly than any description.
When camped out on the banks of the Karem.
at Shustu in Arabistan, we had a guard of six
men sent down from the garrison to protect
the tents, owing to the presence of some
marauding Arabs on the other side. Having 1
been awakened one night by firing. I asked the ]
I Captain, a magnificent creature quite blind in :
one eye and a permanent limp, to come across :
and attack them, the reply was “If we go across. :
we may get killed, if we stay here, we cannotle .
Why then go ?" The same day I went out shoot- ,
ing jackal, accompanied by two of the escort:
when on my return, a fine grey fox sprang up <
near us, as all my ammunition was expended.
I seized the rifle of the nearest soldier—brought
। it to my shoulder to be stopped by the man
1 exclaiming “V’Allah, Sahib, .don't fire, the gun 1
will burst.” On inspection it seemed very
probable.
The Commander-in-Chief.
When in Persia 1 had the plesaure to meet J
the late Commander-in-Chief of the Persian (
Army, a fine old man of that refined, intelli- t
gent class now so rapidly disappearing from the j
country. When talking over different matters
with him, he asked me what I thought of the
soldiers. Knowing him well enough to dispense
with that polite tissue of lies which is the usual 8
form of conversation among the Persians, I told (
him. His reply was "Yes, and this is the nation
that once conquered the Greeks and India. The
career of every nation is fixed to the wheel of
Fate we are now on the lowest edge of
that wheel, yet let our soldiers be properly
drilled and regularly paid, fed and clothed and
in ten years they would be new men and a
very useful army.”
Possibly, but it is doubtful.