The Express.
London, England, 1851-09-16 00:00:00

PERSIA.

(From the Ilerais4 Pcsl.)
It is some time since tho affairs of Central Asia
have occupied much of the attention of Enro., 'Die
Russo-Persian expedition against Ilerat carried Lord Auck-
land into Atighanistan, and while our armies were there,
more than one column of c very British newspaper was tilled
with news, or reports of some kind, from that country and
its vicinity ; but, sine the withdrawal of our troops, an
occasional brief notice of Bost Maho:netl's wherealsout is
all that the Indian bi-monthly has brought, and nothing
has reached us through any other channel.
But an event of no small interest has occurred in that
quarter, which 1713 V he attended with consequences of high
importance Yar Mahomed Khan, the ruler of Herat, who
defended that city ceminst the Persians in 113:1, has just
died, and the country) he governed with much vigour is,
in consequence, looked upon by all its neighbours as an
hereditas jacens, which is free to the first who can seize and
hold it. Kohundil Khan, the half-brother of Dust Ma-
homed, who governs Kandahar, has sent our force to seize
it. Another is moving down from Bukhara and the Oxus.
And we cannot suppose that Dost Malionwd, who had gut
possession of Bulkh, and was in force in that quarter, will
look on with indifference. Ho is nearest to it by position.
Herat, it is to he obterved, has, since the days of Ahmed
Shah Abdali, been considered as a dependency of the Alf-
ghan Empire, and was held as such by Var Mahorucd,
though he was, de facto, quite independent.
But the Persians also have claims on Herat, to realise
and to enforce which they laid siege to the place in INN.
They aro preparing to avail themselves of the opportunity
afforded by tar Mahotued's death, to occupy the city, and
as much of its territory as they can. The Rimini tribes of
the mountains, who are Slice" liko the PCIVLIIIA, will not
be sorry to see the city in the hands of co-religionists, their
association with the Affrhans, who are mostly Seances,
being anything but cordial, and this the Persians well
know. _ .

Now, here is a very pretty piece of Asiatic embroilment,
and, if the matter rested with the Asiatics, wo should
be well content to look on and watch the issue,
as a part of the world's history which very little
concerned us. But it so happens that Itussia has
just now a little quarrel of her own in that particular part
of Asia. She sonic time ago occupied and established a
depot upon a small island off the coast of :•lui.euderait, and
nut very far from Asterahad. The plea was to have a port
or refreshing place for vessels employed in protecting trade,
and we suppose she will add, in urucr to curry favour with
our agitators, for suppressing the horrible traffic iu human
flesh, which is largely carried on by the Turkomans of that
vicinity. This port was looked with great jealousy by
both 1 urkomans and Persians, and the latter remonstrated
frequently, but without effect. Not very lung ago, a partyof
Turkomans waded over from the main land and destroyed
the Russian depot, overpowering the sinall detachment
left to guard it. The Turkomans had to cress Persian ter-
ritory to effect this, and there was other ground for sus-
pecting that the Persians connived at, if they did not aid,
the enterprise. The consequence was a demand from
Russia that the Persian Governor of Mazenderan should be
removed. The Persians rained at lira, but succumbed
when the Russian government insisted. Nut content with
this, the Emperor has sent is force of about .),000 men to
land in that part of the Caspian, and punish the Turko-
mans, and this force having fore;bly occupied Asterabad, is
now operating up the Atrak river on the direct line to
Mushid and Ilerat.

The Persians. hitherto, have viewed this force and its
operations with great jealousy; but, under the prospect of
acquiring Herat, consequently upon the death of Yar
Mahorned, it is by no means impossible that cordiality may
be restored between the court of Persia and the ambassador
from 'Petersburg, and then we may see Herat besieged
again, and perhaps occupied, by a Attire:l-Persian army—
the very danger to meet which the twouty millions of
money and thousands of lives were expended between iKtd
and 1842. Ws presume not yet to speculate upon these
events and their consequences; it will suffice at present to
state the facts, and leave the public to ponder over them.