Publications, Newspaper Cuttings, Photographs and Correspondence about Persia and the Persian Gulf [‎337av] (679/879)

6
-tnt su st suonpuo quese.d pun 2ugq1 ou
PIP s.xooa om se prog om ut puvpua 1
Janod oys Jupqqunoou you up odod qSUI or
on qovordfor qvax Kuu znou SEA 9101.1, ‘EJoqoU03 n
oq on qqzno pun ‘sxourodns mno or 8.1004 ous 1043 ‘ozeini
rerom ug anq‘ozumnoo qeosAqd uy ou sp ar., ‘snunu,
oq ..“10].. ‘exqunq s3m: ouoboq 10 ofaji 1ou asnur qt
OnL arog om pue q-pI oq uoomgoq uopoupep • Av.
on spaoooid ueug o "N Uou.I, wazoyouuu uopne
oq: jo osom uvq. qunonon biout qonur A1eA Jo 8101
mo xuy qou IIA Kou ‘soroqn zau3 Jo soaopantu ol
Zuoure asot1-10, 91m sZmuoaJq qs12I puusnoq: Ajaoj 0x
Zuyqzatos seq: 100] oms 01 prefer Nupavy ’em omnnerod
9I puepai uy porooqo Arnjnuod 9q II!A qonpuoo njoq
-ozopant v at peoy 930A •( 20} unv pu
sBeg on4 uodn Buyg 3o vnog on Zupnoov Ku
Jau20 aqi K[uo olm oqa ‘nopuo jo qour Buyqogjuur oq
Jo suonctrupoov oq qduoyuoo pasq-I!A 11109 e 4314
go %upuq= ‘1101 uopuo’I • onut Ktmu sanesurerp: poroqre
Apninb Kou: puv ‘umop ouo2 puy edyqsaru uozop-1
-jtcq J1 uet. 9193 Aydoop ozot usoq oaTI qsnu
qoqa motnH puouuds om 10 KouvovA e 110
Kom ‘possunun qoun s.ut oqa 9301 Kous : Aosen
syq on szafug 021 11410 • DAU8 woxouf undi
-aton ous uy sozq oxms OuJ., :sqavur1 .‘opuaru
anq ‘zoqo s.uod ,, opnav su epeoy oqa ‘uapa.c
"IK ‘sroxotop 100g om u Zuited pumoa 0, 314JA 1U4O,
* jo soodeod oqs puv puvug up s00a om jo uondooo: om
sossnosip oq qou u oponiv un odod "8347 om jo zoqtno
quouno om 03 woanququoo "T’N ‘Hopa.o U"IA I
vasznRL, ‘Aland
"IsaasolsAuo uno Kous
I ory nuog urea out zupmp vonaprop um jo
youorrodxe pameB oua ouo oq Ameqoid III 9! anq ‘uouoas
4ou om puntutoo IIIA oqA J00g10 ous on ee Bujuigo
-120, anowoid 9 on wimop ox *0101103- mon Ktompno ne
S" sdiop 9014109 Kuuy one 01 ponoroav 00 Stqctunsond IIA
sluvdueo 99.L aogwyu: Jo pousom aumnonsavd N1u9 u
"Uue.19 40, qv uau pezpuuy ono jo sajurduoo oneavdes
03 9FV 03 Pppropp Amugep uoaq syy 11 qeys root M00?A
Vol V nos u! qourkojdte mujseooons 911 jo oononbosuoo m
wonbpron 3u Sujayeooz SuA 10dsuv2p reottreqoaur jo won
sub quwpaodur om. YoIA uopuonv om 01 ofe axeen otos
porojor °A-*ay am. MI JuOAsNVIL IVOIAVROAN
°MO!A ur pey Jejnonj aqs 100(20
SA om pojuajop quayxa oltos o1 osvI on Jnoy Kiwmsoun
"• Buyspu Aq uuma zomus on stop hujdeops qor oauq on
AIWII9 94 *199329 uooq nuq 1 on Supaq AIL, z poorojuo Sugq
3 3° piven 4040 9na anq ‘pojoryus oq uoo oug toy spu:
49 I" qoUJ “ s I1 nondar KinvulooX • o1 siuopq
on Sodu 3ga up uuu Kuv oavq on Supenyox qnone nup 01
"Bag ‘Anuunavuun xowofloarv sou wrloqiod ‘Kom 1019
Iuoixo uu yone on mom pauonSu) seq tremon
0u4 Jo Anreanoumnaqaup om Aq otn quy om 10)
paaugonbev 00009 OAvq um 30 Kuvu qoma 194 ‘ors jo
oueuavd “ 40] Salliqui a puv ‘van v jo omqvu on. u
I! Uo 4°0I sododur Kuct anq tquotgge otoooq on tu
eqv" 09 DAVor Szussooou ou: ujwqo 01 uouoo, 10] Knee
dem 9’9 bneu 09 "UA atjnono om: jo vopr ous ssononod
"onvu om u uopsyeod gem jo woq Snjgjyou mo sojdu 03
Avnony pones Anuass KJuumooX jo muousar mou om jo
one Jo deowo Auypuyuuop vacwj sy9j0418geq3ur ‘95zo nona
wove 10, 035 jo buy "opojqureoayetoq:aopuor Zuotq Kam
HOIUA 09 NJuouror Aiuvuoox ous jo on Surpuonne
"04} tou 4114 quosoid AuJua oum so Kordur qoyqa
dpun "V "PIN ou1 spun poowd usoq onun Aanumoox
mou °UL oauu oq onuy savorqs oonposjur on oxv4
"81u " tomoui sureon I! amus om uv ‘anpoqne Armyg
959 "syesy uuy zomus ‘qavmus 01 sBuyya Anvur op puv
PAronFqo saoid II!A one ‘eq IA SKvajU 03019 se ‘osmnop
10 ‘A9J " or 9JUL quojog otoooq 01 seoKojdut neq
0 ouomozumnoono ojassod £10no 0n13 prnoqs KauvwOox
TosodWI Jo 90/0J mou oq on Anvonrunnono Saas os uoxy;
OAUU °A vau sunos ou) jo exosordino om qwqs ayquurap
Al"! s noo jo '•UI—•JUNVMMA an. M1 aosarraag
posjEI 0Q 01 904 010 mnour
1804 AIVATO mou ouqa qump troa # 1 onya ‘Gsonnay
}0 F010n"q Aou ou: onI IIIA su ‘ujuro, IIm ouy’I ou: Jo
SWW"IPuE spAnD 100/ 3o suogunnvq imnSey mou ous quo
adooxe ousprxo Iourou Fir ounsp, Kumnpu.s ma Kury
om+ suvou asoui Aq puv ‘veddemip ospv Kous mun Sajesto
Jo Muoudex 1"UOjsjAO14I om o; porddv 00 IA porom
oues °L "oouoqsyxo uy aj01 uonmnrvg rutotao.I •
son 8I 9099 iun ujesy pur upuSe poquodar oq Ilan
sroooid omwe 9UL aveddwP IIIA uonmota ruopmA |
oid ouo puv pomvurznuU 0Q IIIA Kou: ‘noymavq
no "OI 09 vour Jo xoqumnu quorowns v Kjuo oavq Kom |
"059 “omqoq num poonpos os oiv suonenvg [J0uoIA014 I
om Suvou *I2 Aq ‘UetA\ ‘sroqumnu u poonpor oq II!a
suorenoea Ieuoreoza om puv mun %uju,0o-ouoq ous not
II!A suonvgywq yone 04 Bupuopcq spupop oms owoq umaor
WUJV winos us mou suonvnrq awmnaos ous sy "voddemp
All"p™13 Il!A ‘pvosqv suonenvq qoq zujavq muemutar
°‘I 0 0 Zupuoroq Azunoo sy uy sumop om. jo pasod
too on" qora ‘ouoy 1t ouonnaea [uorsao.g om anq
sdoon UtgeA Jo posoduico snoneas uvouuzraqypoyc ou jo
uosusen om jo uoniod quanuased e se uyemaz ma quouns.g
"OsHNO om Jo suonmnvq qqago our. ‘porpoquiostp oq 0000
I IIIA pu" Zuot 010jQ -ton 90100 n muounsor tRIN
PIPOQW9U. opsu on 30 53010} J01unpA om Suoure
borid suouytused 531 onm) 01 9ur0 seq (Ivop qsowv
5A Na 0u3 610j09 1011) Azjenvo Kauvmioex pro om
ondar 03 ouro seq qorqa Stuvwoox repsodu
em 309 f Kjoanuo aeoddemp ‘onznoo jo ‘Im voujv
nos " DoyA498 20} Pourzoj qe13 se Kauvmoox ropodwr
9L ErEeddwajp 9 03u qoua pur onuuoo on or suon
tsurvsio mou osoma jo qOya q=0 on Sujumroq or ordoad
20A° 5I -A om qua mon "041 ‘nospuavs ouro! om jo opoya
° "lleorowid Jo VouJV qanos uy sonorqv ponunuos om
10 39%) 919 Aq oreu Ajuo ‘anto A29no qroure ur ‘GtA qorqa
10 Aaresooou om ‘Kury om ut Buroq onur ouco oneq
S"9 mou Annu 0r JVA am *npng—vA am unay
"ejeoq-opodio, 1901n%v mjosn Ata onod
pinom ‘P9A01199 SI q ‘qora puy ‘amarnodsoi Kpuywu azv
"IT"NPU" *uos ‘AXorA R5e9N0 qoa jo uoponpo.d om
101 «‘uod-tuod.. poAoadu uv Buponponjur J0 3102 otos n
9199 aun ourus om 3V poonpos Almpaquur oq on st dis
"owe 03 posyone TotA jo zqumnu om puv ‘qvopv omn Kuv
"IDT" Jo Anoa osu qorA ‘suns nuyqovtr ou: urox] sprorus
057 Jo qeAotrr 919 st poonporut oq o) anoqe At nora.
oSuvgo comouv -ootaxos ov. --- -n---—.— ----- — .
UIAP 099 30 onvId ot. 9393 I ay ao/U-xomb y au ‘posod
-ond "009 S" 5U ‘pong "I 3! J! 3041 puv ‘uns me aqa
910J09 omanj 9uo19 v 81 oxo11 qeqs quy ona ordoad Kovur
oe 941091 ‘up oure on 1V *syxa Kpvospe IIIA Yavx
s "XI 34"N 0q Atqutunsoad IIIA uns mou onL “pojod
Alt ut 1t poonposuy oq pue ‘uonerpiuoo sopun
91" uruuqoau 1090xq om uy sobuvno Jowjur ernos 20qa
MMUX 09 uosuol FI 91019 quq ‘uoduon zopjo ou, uo muau
-oidur 31948 9410 o1410s on uy IIA YmN mou st nora
"oo1q-qooarq moros UIA ou1 uns trUN put ‘suos
8J03°!A out put uns uorou-1ooa:q uonour-epuis onI, "pog
-89108 qe6 you 91 sonuoqnu oq—oig jo oner MIr qoayv 101
soop ‘osmnoo Jo ‘sIm qanon opvojqobaxq v quq uo1y-yomb
" pojvuBsep Anujogo 109uor ou sy ‘wm om Kq ‘qoya
sound IeAuu Burg yomb ‘119 Jo syruu 9uo2a1 orot ou:
" poyoog quouoAordu om F! su 11319— ‘sxn9 MAN
"you[q EUA ueq arquqsmZnystp
Alsve oxot JEJ Sum K01b qqnqorves aq: 30 01018 ou: zopun
Teu panoqs UvurLnPen ou ur suempsdxa quooer
IU 00110210, aq qou ant 91 otp aurs on 1v “oniva
pipuejds • sproyv 1 uoppoduroo 30 quyod pomnojoo-Anysuq
• qm Pagtoo s sia J! pue ‘paznoo oq 03 popuonuy unq
3 Jo uogrod • sosodx qojqa uopour ur dis v wor) Kent
-dis U!e14192 " EKUAju SI 0119 tjso asot Kpuoreddu 61 vos
043 Hue oun e qu UoAo 40] ‘oul-1qvA oq MopQ ooumerp
omos payrivo 0Q 01 s! mnojoo mu ou: 1! os ouop saq a
Aluimiep tosinoo ostan • poidopt svq Sprenympy am Krqvq
-od puv ‘Koa jo cpene ouos posdopu envy stomod IeAUN
Un[9.1o, 3o Apofou ou pue :qs ou: jo "gas on
30—9 Awu aum: dqquqa— pu om jo anojoo
9!9 bqenjui 01 O1A em 30I3 Pro: uooq oneq 0A
sreos 10J Aucosporred uo pouzto uaoq oavq — ounno
jo ssenpaugypnn a! ireo 01 100,1100 orou 0Q Pros ar sdeq
-d— A314!su! o su quoupedxe 101 ‘posoodxoun ponwo
09 Alpreq uvo aruuqo PLL -odjae Kouuj ou 0Q IIa o113
3g "stzem ouroy u! potomsnoov 930 on yojua on sjuuny
mots put sung you! on qy Kipeq oivduoo IIsa
3 qugodpuezs onopav uv wox pur ‘anojoo Bupyam Kzos
" punos you sop II yorjq Jo 919 Kono on qured onua jo
ZOII Jo SutjSujuituoo ous Kq potjetgo oq on st pauddr oq 01
oanqxju °LL "poqrzosud Aunyoavo usoq avq opens
poanbed 914 Suponposd Jo porom ous qun jo
imaau 0q9 ut soysuxoussOIp! ymnpsajput srogo oan
-nex 40 sujdeo ous jo bowormput on 10] 93t
tuoor suv aq pinous oxaqa 1s3‘I topous ativs ou: jo oq 03
or 51eoq puv ‘eseu ‘syuunj ‘mq on avIa pre "mnotoo
dead " Jo posujed aq 03 ont sdyye IV omany ous 10} 1eq
1910] buossey Jopio Aarenurv OuI—sais ao unoiop
PRE
+, Lube
rom
ate..
Persia in any encyclopedia or official publication or i
year book which has not been written by General 1
Schindler, or at least with his assistance. Latterly
he has not been in the best of health, and he
seldom goes outside the walls of his compound, but
he is still the source of information to which all
travellers instinctively turn, and from which no :
one has ever been sent empty away. If he is now
a trifle pessimistic about the future of Persia, and
especially about the future of British interests in
Persia, that is no more than might be expected in
one who has seen what he has seen during the
whole of his career. It is still a . liberal
education in all things Persian to go and sit in his
study in the afternoon where he is surrounded by
newspapers and magazines in every European
tongue, all of which he diligently reads, and to hear
him discourse on a subject about which it may truly
be said that he has forgotten more than most
people have ever known.
PERSIAN LOANS.
Next to him as regards seniority of service in
Persia comes Mr. Joseph Rabino, the. manager of
the Imperial Bank of Persia. Mr. Rabino has been
in Persia as long as the bank itself, that is to say
about thirteen years, and has broughtan acute mind
to bear on the desperate intricaciesof Persian finance.
Ho combines the effects of an early training in that
great school of banking, the Credit Lyonnais, with
a knowledge of Eastern ways and Eastern finance
gained by a long service in Egypt, and certainly, as
far as the English language goes, he may be said to
be the only authority on the monetary system of
Persia. His pamphlet written for the Institute of
Bankers very soon after he came to Persia is
practically as true now as it was ten years, ago,
while a more recent paper read before the Statistical
Society only last year gives an admirable summary
of the economical situation in Persia to-day.
It is characteristic of the British Government, at
all events where the politics of the East are con-
cerned, that while it possesses a wealth of such
trained men as Mr. Rabino ready to render
it every service, it rarely asks their advice,
and still more rarely follows the advice when
"orsetuoo IU79 U 929:4491 om uy PaAios Kous
3e19 Ats 01 109jeoao! pnoxd oq IIIAA axnv ueur pue LJ0010
onbueqe 4q uojqsuj qaud Pio poo? om uy posesqopo
Amp aq pinous uojsnjuoo eroya ouo pue ‘uorssuuuoo
oqmrotrour • put quvqaoduq ue AmiL "uogou eavu
omanj Kut ut 93214 qua ou1 Jo opts ous uo eq
01 uorut out Sujsnvo STJAO) Steuraqour posnquuoo
set 22-1 em 1019 Kuso, yonu 001 100 9 Q1 puv ‘sim10E3
qumrodu ore 10730 aqa uo quatsemoosip puv apis ouo
no uonea szeqtunu oxat Kq paquasaidar st ueqa uyeSrcq
9q4 Jo 493109 oq oxout HAo sey anq dsea 101 m symu;
-osqe AlOgotA set A[uo qou ouo F,0O} xaq oq sous om oton
308 ut qora dins e sum puv ‘uonov uy qunoo 919 ss.
qoza roqs ou: 4quo quuraow om purur onand ou: o1 pass,,
-eqdu pue ‘un2 by putqoq uet om Kq pouanduronoe oq "i
pino 9eqA pomons Kom ‘18ao SCA 330 qeq: ueqa ‘onaas ’
uou nut sogjo 19q put ‘umo 01 qua 291431 oq ueqI,
qa!urs(PI DoAus 1eq2 diqs oq4 Jo Mot am 3o outos
Jo diysuewsqret oq: pue ‘scopt suq o1 q03g0 Suaty
"I sxeupaoqns * 3o ssomqaadx om ‘uMo paruuncorq $
3 (337
-p ug 300s sold wyeidro 3o u:s om sum 11 qeq: uoios
-10] 304 ?ou stq Kzjunoo 9LL uojsspuntoo arqviowstr
puv reuogd-oxa uv jo uogedtuo out xaut III4A Q1 ge
pred s 991-4421 ou3 UqA\ ponnue A[u[E1292 or fomOl,
qotqa 01 euroop. vetads om zozynio oms jo uour put c
szoogJo om ata o1 opuur Nuqq ore spnaurexme ost—m== -
syya ug quq3 pug on KtopoujenvA s: a qnq ‘suonus 121910
to sdyas }o ummar am on patuorsuoot st qanours, io,
‘gstreunzo, Mo-Sujssd om qno Batszico w Kmop ou aq 1I2
exeqs q4od ouon ou saqozox ous uoya qvm os ‘ounce,
dn Ata oq uo 7 go-Lujked zay unr ueq: titan pu
ioduoAT 3u U 4 ous awms posodxo sy aI sa aqu
-deg uo uonms P" ? oms 1:01] umgax zaq uo qnouisz10.
qe anp gorqr-02. 22 1 Aq uI—ramnay,,, SK’H
' J31a19s oq: on snooSegucape aq c
zwaddv qou 83op uoqssseu ‘a! 3o cor] ous uo ‘£[0193100 an
04 U9A:3 10 93o11q Zugos-pmous ogo12 1043 pres oq Kum 4
‘At "I 9 pomcanoo" SutOb.a o tya sopun 320. ou.
?j 1
3 05O59 put
is registered in the French Legation, which will
have none of it since the Franco-Russian Alliance
bound the interests of France to those of Russia in
the East. Naturally no other legation is likely to
take it up, so that, for all the optimism of the
sanguine owners, it is likely to remain a conces-
sion and nothing more.
RESULTS OF BELGIAN ENTERPRISE.
On the other hand the Belgians—it always
seems to be the Belgians who start these schemes —
have left their monuments in and about Teheran,
still tended by a dwindling staff of managers and
workers whose ill success has jaundiced their view
of foreign enterprise in Persia. There is, for
instance, the sugar factory—a fine building with
plenty of foreign machinery, which was to have
done wonders for Persian industry. Unfortu-
nately the originators of the enterprise had for-
gotten to calculate the amount of beetroot avail-
able for the manufacture of sugar, and it was not
until the capital had been spent and the work
started that the total supply was found to be just
sufficient to keepthe factory An East India Company trading post. going for six months in
every three years. The gas works have suffered a
similar fate. There is nothing wrong with the
works or the number of lamps which were put up
in a few of the streets of Teheran. There are also
large coal mines within forty miles of the city.
But the simple fact had been overlooked that owing '
to the abnormal cost of transport in Persia the I
coal could not be delivered in Teheran at a price
much below £5 a ton. Hence the experience of I
■ the gas works. The sanguine management had
entered into a three years’ contract to supply a
, Persian dealer with the refuse coke—so that the
gasworks must go on making coke at a heavy loss
though they have ceased to make gas. Another
company—Belgian, of course—started a glass
factory An East India Company trading post. in Teheran, but the result was disappointing.
FARMING IN PERSIA.
I may now mention a different sort of under-
given. The Russian Government acts in
a very different way. It also possesses in the
manager of the Russian Bank—originally the
Banque de Prets, now the Banque d’Escompte and
really a branch of the Russian State Bank—an ex:
ceedingly able financier, who plays in Persia a part
similar to that filled by Mr. Pokotilov, the manager
of the Russo-Chinese Bank in China. Indeed,
since he is the protege of M. Witte, it is not cer:
tain that he does not indirectly wield a greater
power than the present occupant of the
Rucoian Legation. At all events the head
of the Russian Bank in Teheran, being not
only a financier but a trusted agent of his own
Government and also an important factor in the
commercial undertakings which the bank fosters,
may be regarded as one at least of the most power
ful men in the Persian capital.
THE DrECTOR-GENERAL OF CUsToMs.
Last but not least of the four predominant
figures is Mr. Naus, the Director-General of
Customs for Persia. In most other countries the
controller of customs is merely a paid official
of the Government, entrusted with certain
outine work-—which has no political signifi-
‘ance. In a country like Persia, however,
where the customs have been placed in the
lands of a foreign staff, and where the money
ollected at the ports is almost the only available
security for the raising of foreign loans, the con-
troller may, if he likes, become a political factor of
importance. There is nothing, for example, to
prevent Mr. Naus filling in Persia the place which
in China has for so many years been occupied by
Sir Robert Hart. Indeed, the possibilities in the case
of Mr. Naus are even greater ; for while the
famous “ I.G." has always shown what is perhaps
a constitutional disinclination to invest his office
with a political significance, his Belgian counter-
part in Persia strikes one as being of a
different and more ambitious character. Mr.
Naus is a large powerful man of the
fair Flemish type, with a big head on his broad
shoulders and a strong, not to say cruel, jaw. His
utterance, sharp, incisive, and slightly guttural,
with an almost ferocious rolling of the r‘s, leaves
no doubt on the mind of the hearer as to the in-
tention of the speaker. To converse with him for
five minutes is to be convinced of his executive
ability and his power to control his subordinates.
THE NEw RECITE.
Mr. Naus’s record speaks for itself. Brought
out to Persin from the Customs Department of
Belgium, in 1898, he first of all undertook the
collecting of duties at Tabriz and Kermanshah. So
successful was the first attempt to do away with the
pernicious system of farming the customs, that the
experiment was soon extended, until in 1900 nearly
all the portsof entry wereincluded in the new regime.
By the end of the twelvemonth, March, 1900, to
March, 1901, the customs revenue had increased
taking, but one equally unfortunate in its results I
which was set on foot by the Persian Government.
The idea was to improve farming in Persia by
starting a model village with fresh stock, good seeds,
and a dairy regulated according to the experience of
Europe and America. The manager arrived, a
Belgian, but one with a wide knowledge of farming
in the Western States of America. He was given a
village on the south side of Teheran, which
was inhabited by notoriously bad characters ;
the good. European seed which he distributed
was readily absorbed, but never reappeared in the
shape of crops. His prize cattle from Russia
were unable to breed with the Persian cow ; his
dairy, from which much was hoped, was the least
successful of all because in the first place every-
thing he bought, whether it was fodder or cattle or
milk, was sold to the "feringhi” at prohibitive
prices ; and secondly, not a single Persian would
touch cream or butter or cheese which was polluted
by the management of an infidel. In a word, the
Persians ensured his discomfiture before he had so
much as started work. He is now longing for the
time when his contract will close and he may return
to what his adopted countrymen call ‘ God’s own
country."
GREAT RUSSIAN STRIDES.
In going to Teheran at the season at which I
was there one is confronted almost entirely with
the pessimist view of foreign enterprise in Persia,
but - was surprised to find that this pessimism was
particularly marked where the interests of Great
Britain were concerned. Russian trade has been
making enormous strides lately in the north, and is
even penetrating to Isfahan and the south, to the
detriment, it is said, of British trade—and as for
Russian prestige and influence they are now
supreme throughout Persia. This view, which
seems to be held by everyone in Teheran—with the
exception perhaps of one or two inmates of the
Pritish Legation—has also been expressed by many
writers in Europe, but by none so vigorously as a
certain Dr. Rohrbach, who, after a rapid journey
through Persia last year, contributed an article on
the country to the "Prussian Year-book,” in
which he states, and endeavours to prove,
that, the future of Great Britain, as far
as Persia
50 per cent., though the full 5 per cent, duty was
not yet exacted at all of the ports. The year that
has closed was even more successful. The full
duty was collected at every barrier except at
Ms" 1, whore the sheikh still farms
. - xom is concerned, is absolutely nil.
England’s zukunft im Lande vorbei ist, vorbei
vom .Golf bis an der Kaspi, von den Alpen
Rurdistans bis zur pforte von Indien "—‘ Lng.
land’s future in the land is past, from the
“ulf. to the Caspian, from the mountains
of Kurdistan to the gates of India." If this
were really true it would be a very serious matter.
I it is not actually true to-day but may become BO
to-morrow, it is still more serious, just as sickness
must cause more anxiety than death. There is
such a strong feeling among those who ought to
know somethingabout Persian affairs that if it is not
true now it is a state of things which can only bo
averted by means of a strong and determined effort
that I feel induced to examine the facts of the case
as far as they can be ascertained in a country like
Persia and this in spite of the copious magazine
Titerature already devoted to the subject, which
seems always to miss the essential points and is
seldom well informed.
Mohammerah,
the
customs, with
total sum collected (of
aro not yet published)
double what the Persian
to obtain
result
which
that the
MUSIC FOR CORONATION YEAR.
was just about
Government used
Naus first arrived from
Europe. That the new regime should have been
inaugurated without mistakes was not to be ex-
pected. I have in a former letter pointed out the
errors of judgment which have been committed in
the Gulf where the subordinates are a long way from
headquarters. Nor are we here concerned with the
question whether the establishment of foreign control
over the customs under Belgian direction has been
beneficial or otherwise to British interests in Persia.
FOREIGN CONTROL OF CUSTOMS.
As a means of collecting revenue the new regime
has been entirely successful and as such it
may be duly admired as one of the very
few instances of foreign management in Persia
which have not proved total failures. Moreover,
lest there should be any misconception, it is only
fair to point out that the control of the customs is
in no sort of way in the hands of Russia. Not long
ago an Anglo-Indian traveller who had returned
to Europe by way of the Seistan route remarked
in a public address that the Belgian customs were
simply Russian under another name, or words of
like effect. Whether this is so remains to be seen ;
one can only say that in view of the present facts
the remark is wholly unjustified. There is not
a single Russian in the Customs Department, nor
have the Russians any interest at all in the col-
lection of the customs, save in so far as the greater
part of the revenue so collected is hypothecated as
security for the Russian loans, and this might
equally have been the case if Mr. Naus and all his
subordinates had been British. That the con-
troller of customs is pro-Russian rather than pro-
British may very well be the case—he would hardly
be a Belgian if he were not—and anyhow, as an
ambitious man, with expansive ideas, he would
naturally side with the Power that has a far-sighted
and constructive policy in Persia.
BRITISH PROSPECTS.
For that reason it is difficult to avoid the
conclusion that Great Britain is likely to be handi-
capped in the future by the presence of the
Belgians as a factor in Persian politics. But to
state that Russia, through the Belgians, has even
now the control of the Persian customs, is neither
just nor true, nor is it right to withhold from Mr.
Naus the credit that is already due to him as an
exceedingly able administrator. In a wonderfully
short space of time he has presented the Shah
with a new and tangible asset which that
monarch has already mortgaged. In the meantime
Mr. Naus is busy preparing a new set of commercial
treaties, which may produce a still greater customs
revenue, and are believed by many to be framed
for the special advantage of Russia. That we shall
know when the new commercial treaty with
Russia is promulgated. One thing isquite certain—
that we shall hear a good deal more of Mr. Naus
before we have done with the Persian question.
CONCESSION HUNTERS.
These, then, are the four great men of Teheran,
leaving aside the Diplomatic Corps, which may be
said to be in Teheran, but not of it—the members
of the various legations being little more than tran-
sient visitors, whose actions are controlled by
foreign cabinets or Ministers for Foreign Affairs
and dictated by political emergencies altogether
outside of Persia. Down below, on a quite
different level, are thenumerous concession hunters
and those whose concessions have actually crys-
tallised into industries which are for the most part
complete and unmitigated failures. These may
be divided into two classes—the optimists and
TO THE EDITOR or THE MORNING POST.
Su,—My attention has been arrested by the
word “ British-born’’used in letters of several of
your correspondents who desire that an unusually
large prize should be offered for the best setting of
this ovonerun yoxr.r* our national gratitude during
Does it not seem somewhat bigoted ana
minded to. exclude our fellow-subjects IN j™
been born in Canada, A ustralin, Indi, and the Cape
Colony’ There i 13 evidently much to be said on
both sides of such a question, as Sir Michael Costa
held the straighter view when founding the Costa
Scholarship at the Royal Academy and, more
recently. Sir Frederick Bridge excluded all except
British music from the Coronation service in West-
minster Abbey. Still, I should like to hear from
some who have considered more deeply than I can
thnerxasjend contras "tending this rather impor"
Of this, however, I feel certain, that Sir Michael
Costa, were he now living, would rejoice to see 2
powerful a journal as yours helping on such a grand
opportunity for British musicians to exerciso^hoir
talents in the highest field of art, viz. sacred
music, as 10 would, assuredly have rejoiced in June
last to know that three hundred loyal march-songs
had been obtained by the same means, i.e., through
your assistance, from British composers. ‘ 8
Your correspondent at Windsor asks: How
shall a committee be formed ? I would reply
name” the proposed fund a local habitation and a
pome Thus, asksome wealthy person to help
% “hire . office in Loudon, whence letters may
ewritten, to those who oncourago national undor-
H hen appoint a secretary and treasurer
vhoare active and reliable, and let the new fund
palled The Imperial To Deum Committee. ’»
Agrone, of his Majesty King Edward's loyal
subjects who belong to the Roman communion; I
am glad to think that good Catholics may heartily
compete for a prize which sets before British born
musicians a higher object than even loyal march,
songs, viz., our acknowledgment as Christian
worshippers of the Divine Providence that has
pade, the British Empire tho chief temporal
rower in the world. — Yours, &c.,
ELIZABETH COSTA (Widow of the Iato
... — Raphael Costa)
17 Warwick-street, Victoria Station, August 21.
THE BOER GENERALS.
TO THE EDIron or THE MORNING rosr.
Sm,—Your leading article on the present public
conduct of the Boer generals is very timely. We
have, been too much the prodigal son’s father in
rushing forward to greet the repentant sinner. A
more reticent attitude in receiving them would
possibly have better impressed them and avoided
the very probable “ try again " attitude they seem
to be willing to take up. The British public love
a, show, however small, and we are still under the
E-mour of our happy Coronation. But I truly
egjeve those prodigals fancy we are the sinners
and they the forgiving fathers; and their present
ception here, in its effusiveness, is to be deplored.
Deter wait and see how they shape. — Yours, &c.,
,4 ,E. ROWLAND FOTHERGILL, M.B., &c.
7 Daron 8 Court-road, August 21.
THE CAMPANILE OF ST. MARK.
TOTHE EDITOR or THE MORNING POST.
STm, The argument of M. Denys Puech, which
you recently quoted, for not rebuilding the Cam-
panile of St. Mark seems to me to be the most
the pessimists. To the first class belong the
whose schemes are still on F 4 -1 -----
“nrensonable that I have yet heard. Its destruc-
still entertain hopes of extracting capital from the
more gullible investors of Europe. To the second
class belong those whose schemes have materialised
and failed and who, therefore, have little more to
hope for in either Europe or Persia. As it
happened the optimists had mostly departea
for Europe when I reached Teheran. P Their
nnid 18 not legion. Indeed, the class which is rapidly
becoming extinct, would seem to be represented
almost entirely by two famous and inveterate 25=0
cessionists. Their trump card is still a are, con
424 1.7 .1 LiIOU L ABGSVO YCU -C-e —> eoUiu.
first class" on he Ton, while still, apparently, in perfect condition,
paper and whotherefore, was the work of a moment. The Parthenon and
Coliseum, as one sees them to-day, represent the
decay of centuries, which is what gives them their
romantic beauty. There is no romantic beauty in
the heap of bricks which now disfigures the piazza
of St. Mark. With regard to the remodelling of
Leonardo da Vinci’s equestrian statue, what
material was there left to go on ? One can imagine
that the smallest deviation from the artist’s con-
coption would ruin such a work utterly. I seo no
reason why the Campanile, in its severe simplicity.
1 .3 ,— COn- reason whytne oampare, 1 -2 PP’-r, 211.
“TP card is still a great rail- cannot be reproduced exactly, though, time,
"Aon WAS obtained from tho course, will be required to mellow it.—Your, .
, Anor tart- .9! IT**Pssp pserag
■. &o..
JULLAN SAMPSON.
lowand “or—mou nam “rang es.The tamanr.
slight, and in places non-existent, so that
the plains tend to be deserts, and the moun
tains to be bare rocks, though the plains
become fertile under irrigation, and the moun-
art by noles; wilen is minnget by metmnwy"
company—now a Russian concern—and this, too,
pays its way. Driving through the dusty streets
and across the uneven cobbles of the principal
square to the street of the Legations I came to the
signboard of the English hotel, one of the few
foreign designations in Teheran which are nob
printed in Russian, and found comfortable quarters
in a picturesque little courtyard full of trees and
flowers.
PROGRESS OF AFFAIRS.
Teheran is still out of the track of the regular
globe-trotter, and will continue to be so until it is
connected by rail with Europe and India. In spite
of the bracing climate and the brilliant sunshine of
Persia it may be safely asserted that, apart from
archeological interests, there are few countries
in the world which are not a great deal
more attractive to the traveller. Never
theless, political or commercial considerations
have drawn so many Europeans in recent years to
the Shah’s capital that a description of the city at
this time of day would be altogether out of place.
I shall only, before plunging into the bewildering
1 vortex of Persian statistics, indulge in the respite
[ of a little orientation in order to fix the point of
view from which the progress of affairs must be
judged at the present moment. Strange to say, to
talk of the progress of affairs in Persia, that most
sedentary of countries, is for the moment no abuse
of terms. In travelling through the country you
may be surprised to find how fresh and up-to-date
is every paragraph in Lord Curzon’s standard
work begun, laboured at, and finished more
than ten years ago ; or for the matter of that
the immortal “ Haji Baba of Isfahan " seems to
live to-day in half the Persians you meet, with the
self-same surroundings and local colouring which
greeted Morier on his way from Bushire to Teheran
close on a century back. But at Teheran, the focus
of foreign influence and intrigue, events are suc
ceeding one another at such a rapid rate that even
Lord Curzon's summing up of the political and
commercial situation is fast becoming obsolete.
FOREIGN Element in Teheran.
The departure of the Shah and the long
Moharram holiday, which practically puts a stop
to business for a fortnight, had made Teheran
quieter than usual when I arrived. The foreign
Ministers were resting from their labours, and
many of them were not in the capital. Mr.
Griscom, the United States representative, who is,
perhaps, the youngest Minister in the service
of any Foreign Office, was on a tour
to Isfahan and Hamadan. The German Minister
was in Europe, leaving the affairs of that nation in
the hands of another very young man, Baron
Kuhlmann, who, being well on the right side of
thirty, may claim to be the youngest charge
d’affaires at present in existence. I was fortunate
: to catch our own Minister just before he started on
Fi a flying trip to Isfahan. The foreign merchants
. were for the most part waiting for the Moharram
Tie festivities to close, and speculating in the meantime
ge on the probable result of the extraordinary efforts
. being made to push Russian trade in Persia. Even
| the concession-hunters had ceased to trouble,having
| migrated with the spring to Europe to sell their
J concessions and to start syndicates, leaving behind
i I ( them only a jetsam of unsuccessful promoters of
13 — foreign industry in Persia. For the searcher after
knowledge such a season as this is perhaps the
" most advantageous, since it is just at the quietest
moments that real schemes have time to mature
rom..... and the essential features of the situation become
11 less obscure. Moreover, the men who are really
ate 1 1 powers in Persia have leisure to converse.
British INTERESTS.
Outside of the Legations—and one does not
I expect to get much information out of a Legation—
there are four men of commanding position in the
| foreign element of Teheran to-day.First, in
1 virtue of his long service inPersia, extending over
1 thirty-five years, and his wonderful knowledge of
| the country and its capabilities, stands General
Houtum-Schindler, who has filled almost every post
which it has been possible for a foreigner to fill in
the service of the Shah from the time that he
left the department of the Indian Govern-
Ament Telegraph. There is hardly an article ca
332
|on sdiys aq paires ALL a’soues uroq,,
‘paveq uajjo ©Atiq A se ‘osou'edvf
qezado-0 01 aqe eq pm sieep
’ re eq. 'esuIT I9A8 uotsE000 euq pious 'UoIA
j A ss8ueie{duioo put Aqrerpaoo eqj Jo aouepunqr
ooid pyq OAuq om put ‘upse[ eq on uiaeo
mnotusaod pue ‘ssetuaeqg ‘qnotA[ qe SM9x
I 9 jo auouBeiuop eqj pue sdiysiem esaundcp oui
I tstA eqj Aq pomelo uossrdu eqj ang peat
I 3 j® Jzuor ou szeog uhisue esuuns queiuq au:
‘IlmrEJ sn uepptq ATq obvsvypJ puv vvsy
sqquot OM) ueu. erot jo Ktas v Iav
«"ddVHL SII any NVdVf ,, aq soHiay
‘SIJHON r a a NHIIIIA
*N
odoed
puis aq
isip unq
‘onSuol
ledsmau
ui Apnas
oveonpa
> opoyA
ou. ouo
1 ‘etsied
jqvioadsa
d oguq e
> svq euo
MTeABJ?