The Sun.
London, England, 1865-08-10 00:00:00

READING RACES-THIS DAT.
EAST HAMPSTEAD STARES.

Crisis
Jane Shore
Czarina

1

Eight mu.

Latest from re: sirs.

A letter from Tehuran, dated July 2, in the
Levant Herald says :

Astrabad, the frontier town between Persia anti Turco-
mania, within a short distance of the Caspian and Ashurada,
and hitherto very scantily provided with troops, has just
had three regiments of cavalry sent to it as a protection
against the raids of the Turcomans. Tho town is frequently
visited by the hordes, and has recently suffered severely
from their depredations. To put an end to these, three crack
regiments have had their last year's pay cleared off—a
great novelty in this service, where one month's pay out of
12 is considered first-rate treatment—and been despatched,
in excellent spirits in consequence, to deal with these
modern Parthians.- The scene of the last engagements with
them—in nearly all of which they have been defeated by the
Government troops under Mahmoud Khau-Kajar—was
between Astrabad and the river Attruck to the north.
These noniale enemies are not, however, the only ones
who are causing anxiety to the Shah and his Ministers.
The Russians have recently seized the Persian island of
Ashmurada, in the Caspian, and have established on it a
rendezvous for their ships of war, and an arsenal for the
repair of their Caspian fleet,
and for the manufacture of
fire-arms. Since the Treaty of Turcornan-tchai the Persian
Government has been unable to keep vessels above the size
of afishing-boat on the waters of the Caspian. This fr'esh
aggression places them more than ever at the mercy of theirs
Muscovite neighbours in this direction.
The Teheran Gazette announces, that E.irl Russell has
directed Mr. Alison to notify to all the Persian provinces
to send, if they wish, specimens of the arts and manufac-
tures peculiar to each district to the Bombay Exhibition,
which is to be held in 1866. In consequence of this invi-
tation Khorasan will, it is expected, be represented by its
far-famed sword-blades, in the construction of which, it is
said, some silver is introduced, which renders them of
special hardness, and occasions their peculiar, bell-like
sound on being shuck. Ispahau and Resht, so celebrated
for their table covers in silk, and the former also for its
carpets, will, it is said, send some fine specimens for ex-
hibition.

A line of telegraph is about to be constructed between
Teheran and Meshed, which latter town is considered by
the Mussulmans even more sacred than Kerb:leh or Shah
Abdul-Azim. It is understood that the line will be con
structed by the English staff now in the country. It is,
however, doubtful if it will be left undisturbed by the
Turcomans, who especially infest this' part of Khorasan.
On the existing lines the Morse instruments are, I learn,
to be substituted for Wheatstone's. They will first be tried
on the line between this and Trabeeze. One will be placed
as an experiment in the head office here and another at
Casbin, distant about 100 miles, to see whether they can be
efficiently worked by the native manipulators. The main
difference in the two instruments is, as your readers may
be aware, that by those of Morse 30 words can be received
per minute, and by Wheatstone's only 15. By the former
also a person can receive both_ by ear and paper. Tho
adoption of the new instrument shows at least a desire on
the part of the Government to go ahead, which is a hopeful
sign, and as such deserves mention.
The Teheran paper, Ruz-Nama, states that great fears of
a famine are entertained at Shiraz, in consequence of an
almost total want of rain during the months of April and
May ; since then, however, there has been plenty of rain
at Jacht-Junchir, or Persepolis, distant a couple of stages
from Shiraz. Largo flights of locusts have also made their
appearance, and have committed great havoc in these dis-
tricts. To cap these Shiraz misfortunes a shock of earth-
quake has visited the town, doing considerable damage. At
Muserata, near Kerman, the shock was still more violent
and mischievous in its resulf,a.
From Herat there is news of 500 mounted Turcomans
having passed from the Cabul side of the latter principality
and pillaged Khaf, a town of considerable importance,
which is situate at the extreme end of Whorasan, and on
the main road from Teheran to Herat and the Punjab. A
force of 300 Sarbars belonging to Shah-ul-Mulk was imme-
diately sent after them to Jhaui. The raiders fled, but were
dyer-taken, and many of them captured and beheaded ou
the spot. Tho heads, as usual, were publicly exhibited on
poles in the most conspicuous part of Khaf. The Persians
Continued the pursuit the next day, but finding that the
Turcomans had thrown their booty into the river Poole-
milan, near Herat, they abandoned the chase.