"سيستان، بلاد فارس وسيستان" [ظ‎‎١‎٦‎٢] (٦١٧/٣٣٣)

14
Possible employment
of British officers.
Finances.
Strong warning
should be addressed
regarding further
depreciation.
Suggestion that
trained British official
be lent to Persian
Government for
inquiry into financial
condition.
N
Reform of Customs.
Question touches
Sadr-i-Azam too
closely.
Pensions.
Shah’s expenditure.
Reforms should not
be forced too energeti
cally .
Necessity for watching
Russian movements*
outside Persia.
• /! f ,* thp ud keep of the army, and it is unlikely that he will
money required foi the u P- Ret P ‘ / to ; nsure that the money is paid
displace his favourite son J . to the troops regularly and attend to
to the troops. Howevei, the a P J n the gadr-i-Azam, who
their well-being can do no harm, I think. ^P f it to t
detests the Kaib-us-Sultaneh, and the Shah may pos-ioiy
““'to‘ makelhfpersian aimy worth anything at all except for purposes of
. . , i •„ ou j- 0 f the question unless it is officered by Europeans. I do
internal oidei is ou * ° t M A , Government would care to propose that any
t on! rhoutd be handed over to us to train. Such an arLgement would
have its advantages but it would of course he much resented by the Eussians,
even if the operations of our officers were confined to the south, and the Sha
would fight shy of it because it would cost money. If we made him proi.i by
it we could, I think, get him to agree. _ . f .1
With regard 'to the finances I would suggest a strong warning as to the
results of practically forcing the Mint to issue excessive quantities of copper
by exacting too high a payment for the Farm. Here we shall carry the
Sadr-i-Azam with us to some extent, and if no great good comes of our advice,
we shall at all events get the credit of having tried to stem the flood or “ black
Perhaps also it might he desirable to suggest the loan of a trained English
official to inquire into the financial system and report to the Persian Govern
ment on the matters requiring reform. The Russians would view such an
appointment with jealousy, and the official selected would have many difficulties
to overcome; hut the Sadr-i-Azam might he disposed to accept the offer under
certain conditions, and if we got a judicious man who would work quietly and
not try to sweep too clean, we could in time, I think, do much good. The
result of the offer might, however, he that the Persian Government would
bring in some Frenchman or German.
The abolition of the sale of Governorships, and the reform of the pernicious
system of accounts described by Colonel Picot, should, I think, be pressed on the
Shah. The latter piece of advice may perhaps give the Sadr-i-Azam an opening.
I have said nothing about reforms in the Customs Department, which
offers the most fruitful field for a large increase of revenue.* Every one is
agreed that by the Customs Farm the Sadr-i-Azam will stand or fall, and it is,
I think, to our interest at present that he should not fall.
A warning to he less lavish in granting and continuing pensions would be
desirable.
Finally, though we could hardly go into the details of the Shah’s expen-
dituie, he might, as he has asked tor advice, he reminded that care in this
lespect is as important as anything. He could effect large savings in his Civil
List if he chose to do so. In some ways he squanders money very reckessly.
Both these warnings would he received with pleasure by the Sadr-i-Azam
and the Shah might pay some attention to them.
27. It may perhaps he argued that if we are to give the Shah financial
j P fl e should be made to pay attention to them, and generally to follow our
advice. _ Of course it is true that if we give help we are entitled to expect that
our advice will not be altogether disregarded. But I would not insist upon its
being swallowed at a gulp. That would, I think, be a mistake. We must not
expect too much, and the reforms suggested are very large. It would be better
I think, to put upon the Persian Government the duty they are tiwino to pass off
r t To * rf, § r th ? ’r 1 advi “ we caii > ^
his tllis if he chose;