The Sun.
London, England, 1857-04-15 00:00:00

TBE PERSIAN WAR.

(From an Occasional Correspondent of the Times.)
CAMP BEFORE BIISHIRE, FEB. 25.

Since my last communication little of interest
has occurred in this quarter worthy of being re-
corded. Owing to the non-arrival of the remaining
portion of the Second Division, which wai confi-
dently expected here ten days ago, as well as in
consequence of the strong north-west:rly gales
which have prevailed, and which have prevented
all intercourse with the shippinc, in tbe harbour,
the Mohammerah expedition lits bz..en delayed.
The day before yesterday, however, it was found
practicable to get the Semiramis and Berenice
steamers under way. They took in tow the Ocean
Monarch and the Futtey Mobarelr, wi:h one bat-.
tery of artillery, a corps of dooly-bearer?, stores,
&c., as also three gunboats. These will be dropped
near the estuary of the Shatt-001-Afab, there to
awaitthe rema:ning part of the force, destined to
capture and garrison Mobammerah. The steamers
will return immediately, and the Hon.,Mr. Mur-
ray, who goes up in the Berenice, will be made
over to the Comet, which will take him as far as
Basra, whence he is to make his own way to Big'
dad.

Captain-Kemball, resident at Bagdad, arrived
here a few days ago, and reports that the garrison
of Mohammerah has beea increased, and that 13
guns have been mounted in the embrasures of the
forts. Tho Arabs in that quarter appear to be in
anxious expectation of our approach, which, it is
to be feared, will be the signal of a general rising of
the tribes against their Persian nr.ster. It will re-
quire a little diplomacy to prevent these will clans
from committing every kind of excess, and at the
same time to keep on good terms with them our-
selves. The latter is absolutely necessary to the
success of our operations generally, for one groat
object in seizing Mohammerah is to open out the
resources of that district to the wants of our army.
The officers employed in procuring baggage-
cattle report that 5,000 camels will be ready in the
'course of a fortnight. Mules also are being bought
up at Bagdad and Mosul, but I fear it will be seve-
ral months ere a number sufficient to enable our
army to advance from Bushire is%procured. This,
perhaps, is the less to be regretted, since without
large add i t ional reinforcemen is, especially European,
it would be imprudent to think of advancing beyond
Shiraz. The operations of our General 'are, indeed,
even now very much crippled for want of troops.
The entire army, when the whole of the Second
Division arrives, will not amount to more than
10,000 men of all arms. From 3,000 to 4,-000 of
these will advance to Mohammerab, and a good
moiety of that number must remain to garrison it.
I believe that an advance thence to Shuster and
Dizful might easily be made with the co-operation
of the tribes, but such a course would he worse than
useless unless Sir James could leave adequate gar-
risons in those places. He cannot detach more
men from before Bushire while the enemy maintain
their position below the passes. Rumour gives
their numbers there at from 5,000 to 25,000 men,
with 8 or 30 guns, and reports sel prevail of many
regiments being on their way from Isaphan and.
Teheran: Again, the 'Bazaar report is that the
Serkesheekshi Bashi, or Commandant of the King's
body-guard, in company with Hama Mirza, the
Shah's uncle, is on his way from Teheran, em-
powered to conclude a treaty of peace. If this is
really the case, and we are able to secure even our
principal objects, I trust that no bone of contention
will be raised on our side, and that an end maybe
made of this war. On the other hand, however,
should no such overtures be made by Persia, we
must, as far as I can see, be prepared for a serious
struggle ; and, if .Herat is the stumblingblock,
that must be removed out of the way by our
taking possession of it. Averse as England and
India may be to undertake military operations in
that. quarter, she will ultimately be driven to it,
since it is not difficult to foresee that the eventua-
lities of the war in this direction may lead to the
occupation of Herat by Russian troops. We should
seek to strengthen Persia, and that we might more
readily do by holding .Herat than by any other
'means. We could then afford to be less suspicious
of the Persians, and perhaps more generous towards
them, than we have been; despite their insincerity
and perfidy. Why Affghanistan should be such a
bugbear to the English public no military man ap-
pears to understand. Our position on the Indus
is now totally different from what it was at the
period of our disastrous retreat, and the Affghans
themselves know us better. Besides, what security
have we, in the actual circumstances of the reign-
ing dynasty there, that after the demise of the Dost
one or more of the aspirants to the musnud will
not seek the protection of the Persians, or even of
the Russians, against British interests in Affghan-
istan

After-reports from the adjoining neighbourhood
lead us to believe that many more of the Persians
were killed at the battle of Kooshab than we our-
selves believed. Hundreds of the wounded were
said to.be strewn near .the river Daliki, and from
all accounts the blow then struck has quite disor-
ganised the army under Soojah-001-MQolk, who, if
rumour speaks truly, has been displaced from his
command. It is now becoming the prevailing opi-
nion that the Persians will not again meet us on
the plain, but in case of our approach will retire
into the passes, and there dispute our onward pro-
gress. The camp at Bushire is being fortified with
strong redoubts ; the force is remarkably healthy,
and a good tone generally prevails among
officers
and men. Lord Seymour arrived the other day
from Bagdad, and has been appointed, for the pre-
sent, assistant to Major Taylor, in the political de-
partment. We understand that this young noble-
man is anxious to obtain some military office) in
order to enable him to take an active part in the
war.
FEBRUARY 26.

Reports just received from Mohannerah s4ate
that the Persians have brought two guns thither
rom Dizful, and seem to be planning some scheme
for obstructing the entrance to the KAM% River.