, 1873-07-13
REUTERS PERSIAN CONCESSION,

An Interview With tho Dnr0ns
h'"d'" f"* ' o'';ttgsTd<"e' H9g1ad. Of tie F' Y'rt
- THO Daron-It must DO considered,
that tho concession ia moro financial scheme
am no flnancier- strictly speaking. OF courso
In undertaking the great respouaibiiitios which
aud myself, ! wish to seouro myself from per-
sona1 loss-that you Till admit Is only natural !;
but in proof that a money-gain Buch a. would
accrue on tho successful carrying ont Of q scheme
Of this magnitude was not ms, object, may say
that I might sell the concession over and over
again at an enormous profit II Wished. Neither
has the concession any political besring.
Corrcsponlent-Russia vorsua England, some
Of tho alarmists suggest
:. Baron-Thoy do me injustice. NY object is
tho civilization Of PerBia, simply by fair means.
I wish to preyont, not to promote war. Persia,
country which beyond oil Eastorn oompeora
has go long preserved an independent existence,
has heen an attractive study to mo for years. I
hold ot,-books by its onemies as we'll as by it's
friends. have availed myself Of ovory oppor-
tulity Of converting With Persian travolors, and
I think now know peraia, it's RESOURCES and
weakneBsos thoroughly. havo never travelled
III the country myHelf.
0.-You amaze me.
BIT is fact. I mean to go, OF course; but
not yet. Neither hayo I specially sought for
such information aB tho land surveyor could
gvo. Ny agcnts have beon mon Of science-
mon from schools Of minea-mon Of high ecien-
tifio attainmonts from Vienna, Berlin, Vrisburgh,
aud London. My Instructions to them wero to
investigate; to dosoond into the valleys and ex-
ploro tho tops Of tho mountains, and toll mo
what they found there.
O.-Then your schomo has boon somo years in
maturing?
BIT has. The Primo Minister Of Persia has
boon close personal friend Of mine for upwards
of,.fvo years. It was the famine which lea to the
ratification Of tho concession. Thousands Of per-
cons died of starvation, as you know, In land Of
plonty. There Was an abundance OF food In tho
country, but, owing to the want Of roads. it was
impossible to convey assistance to the starving
districts. The stomach is powerful counsellor.
The Shah saw IN my proposal possible eseapo
from the recurrence Of such e calamity, and tho
concession was made.
O.-MRy ask you, Baron do Reuter--the quos-
ton has been suggested to mo aB one tint l
should respectfully put-this idea Of the shah'a
Western trayels-was 1t your conception 2
BIT WAS. It could not, Of course, appear in
any official undertaking thnt the Shah WAS to
travel. / could not stipulate for It TO advertise
C.-As an aid to his Western education
B.--preoiBely. wished him to sec the roads,
and railways, and manufactures Of tho various
countries oi surSps lS Teps'yS e %a
Tho several modes Of government.
O.-Your scheme involves magnificent step
towards the universalty Of FREQ trade, that Is
obvious enough; but your assumption OF control
OTAT LQB CuBtuluh uu6 piQfuAGG dDlAo tQutFUfHIhYs
Was it wise to include the adoption Of imperial
functions, Is question that have several times
heard asked.
D.-Tho 1yptoua of lavying the customs in Per-
ala is utterly bad and corrupt. Ine right ia
"farmod" by set of officials who enrich them
selves at the expense OF tho people. I wished
to abolish that, and hence the arrangement.
Tho country is splendid sir, but the Government
is nhomidablo-
O.-le It your intention to offer special adyan-
tage to emtgrants2 Yon, will require vast
your projects
B.--I will give thom land. There will te land
for.aa1o., The soil il toemingly fruitful. The
country is full Of minerals. wish to encourage
emigration from England, from Germany, from
America, from au parts Of tho world.
O.-What arc the ehaha impressions OF hts
visit to Europo?
Bile Ii pleascd-dolghted; IN fact, orsr-
much delghted. Ho haa boon worked too hard.
added quite ton years to his life. Ho was great
y impressed by tho naval review, but thst which
excited the most astonishment In his mind IL
the appearance OF the crowds that assemble at
hia approach. He is struck with their habitual
obedience to tho authorities. Tic fact ts, tho
managers Of the "ehoWd havo made mistake
in not sending him forth in an open carriage to
DO brought face to faoe with tho people. He
meets Lord this md my Lady thht-the same
poople-at eyory sriatocratlo establishment, but
that ia all
O.-Will tho more Important Of tho engineer
Ing works in Persia, DO commenced with i'm
mediately7
B.-lmmediately. The survey for tho railway
from Toheran to Canaion is nearly finished, and
yorv Boon, In tle course OF the summon, in
doed shall ship my first lot OF raita,