New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1857-01-07
fsil to be rtG'zed unles, it engaged their hearty
r06Derstion

The declaration ofwar agsinst Persia, By EnglGHd
or rather by the East India Company is the repro
duction Of one of those cunning aud reckless tricks
Of Anglo-Asiatic diplomacy, By virtue Of which
England has extended her poses sions that con-
tinent. So soon as the Company casts s greedy
look on any Of the independent sOvereieus, or on
any reeit whose political and commercial resources
or whose gold and jewels are valued, the victim is
accused Of having violated this or that ideal or
actual convention, tIaDsgressed an imaginary prom
lse or restriction, committed some nebulous out
rage and then war is declared, and the eternity Of
wropg, the perennial force Of the fable of the wolf
and the lamb, is sgain incsrnadined in national
history.
For many years England has coveted position
in the Persian Gulf and above s the possession of
the Island of Kareg situated in the northern part
Of those waters The celebrated Sir John Malcolm,
several times ambassador to Persia, eIpatisted on
the value of that island to England, and affirmed
that il could be made one of her most hOurishng
establishments in Asia being in the neighborhood
of Busheer, Bender Beg Bessora, Grien Barberis
and Elkatif Accordingly, the island and Busheer are
already in the possession of England. Sir John
considered it GENITAL point for the com MERGE of
Turkey, Arabia ard Persia. The climate is excel
lent and it contains all the facilities for becoming
4, urishiDg spot. The EmbssssdOr more than
Thirty FIVE years ago submitted his observa-
tions 10 Lord Mimic, then Governor Genera, and
both sought TO carry out the scheme. Sir
John in fact received the command of an expedi-
ton TO take the iiland, and had already set ou',
when he received orders TO return to Cslcuts, aud
SIR Hartford Jones was sent on diplomatic mission
to Ptrsis. During the first siege Of Herat BY
Persia in 1889, England under the same
ephemeral preteuse ss nOw-thas is, to defend the
AfghaDs, with whom she has constantly deadly
feud-seized upon Ksreg, bu! was forced By cir
cUmsiances by the interference of Russia, 10 sur
render her prey. The lately renewed aud sue.
cessful attempt Of Persia against Herat has af-
forded England an occasion to accuse the Shah of
violation of good faith toward her, aud to take the
island as first step toward hosiilities.
Thus, for half century England has striyen
conti uslly but rarely with success TO establish
her prepondersnce in the Cabinet of the Persian
Shahs. The latter, however, are match for their
wheedliDg foes and squirm out of such trescherous
embraces. Aside from having under her eyes En-
gsh dealings in India the Persans very likely keep
in view this advice, given to Fe'h-sl Shah, n 1905:
" Distrust the counsel of a nation Of greedy mer
chants. which in India trsfics with the lives
" and CLOWNS Of soyereigns." Set thief to catch
a thief In Teheran the capital of Persia, English
influence is very low; for, not counting Russian n
trieues there, France occupies prominent
standing, and Of the three illibusters, PERISH may
most dread the British. At the present moment
an embassy from Persia is on the way 10 or has
already reached Paris, and there very likely the
Persian complication will be the subject Of dipo-
matte di.puter France, indeed, is not Indifferent
TO the occupation of the island in the Persian Gulf
Tie question is rendered yet more knOsty by the
fact that France disentombs some buried parch-
ment by which kaneg has already been twice
coded 10 her BY the Persian Sandstone so far back
as in 100, under Louis XIV, and then in lS0S-
On both occasions col ditioLaly, il Is true, bu. in
terms sufficient to constitute some rights, or Justify
pretensioDs from the present mitator of those SOW
.reigns, who were sufficiently an'i-English.
In Itcen. answer to the Journal dss DeJats,
Tie London IimtS gives up in the name Of Eng md
10 FrsJce every pretension to the leadershiP IN
European affairs, reserviLg for the English nation the
undisputed direction of the affairs of Asia add Amer
lea, where no Other European power must interfere.
Itmay, neyeril eless be doubted il Louis BOnap'rte
will accept this division OF the world. At any rate,
French diplomacy in Teheran during the la:e mis-
unJerstin ibgs did no: heartily suppOr. England
and the French pre-s e1humiDg and yensila'ing
Gale prettnsiOns TO Kareg seem, 10 fOreshAdow
that England will not ind i; al easy game to AZ
tack and dsmembtr Persia.
There prevails very general aud We trust we'll