The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-07-22
MIR. GREAVILLE HURRAY'S SKETCH.

MIR. GRENVILLE NURRAY'S SKETCH.
A General Review OF Persian Politics-
The Little Impcdiments to Holding .
High Position in tho state-rhc Bas.
tinado and Other Punishments for
Political Dclinquenctcs.
PARIS, July I, 1873
There is no doubt that the Shah has made diplo.
matte blunder in quitting his own dominions; be-
cause where ignorance 10 bliss tits folly to DO
WISE"
THE SHAFTS IGNORANCE
Of his real power and position had many advan.
tages for him. and many disadvantages for all
countries in commercial or political relations with
him. 1t was extremely din1cult for the most
skilful negotiator to deal with shallow minded and
barbarian prince, who honestly thought himself tho
FIRST monarch In the universe. and who would have
resented any hint whatever to the contrary. To
argue with him or his ministers was ridiculous;
they could not understand arguments ana replied to
them by sententious proverbs, sometimes by leyity
and impertinence for the Persians are the French
OF the East-an impudent and ught-headed people.
They could not be convinced even by o beating,
and to beat them was most costly and
troublesome proceeding. Thus England had 0
turn'up with them In 1853, but good~came OF It.
got 10, but entirely declined 70 msnd their man.
ners. Indeed, they sent the whole British Lega-
ton, under Sir Charles Murray, to Coventry. and
kept them IN mortal fear OF assassination. Take
care" the Prime Minister Of the day would remark
to the English Minister-~Take care to keep
quiet for otherwise there Will DO q rising OF the
pOpulace, and you and your secretaries Will all be
murdered. as tho members OF the Russian mission
were . few years ago; and your government must
put up patiently with the loss OF you. the Rus
sian government did upon the lamsntable occa-
sion to which refer" So saying, he would smoke
. kaleon, or water pipe, with tho utmost gravity.
and dismiss the subject. ~. et fr is.l,
THE LATEST WAR BETWEEN GREAT BRITAIN AND
'l PERSIA.
1.-THE truth must be told England did not deserve
well Of the Persians, ana the origin Of the quarrel
which was last settled BY arms between them was
something worse than contemplate.
BRITISH MINISTER II PERSIA.
There had long been dispute between the Indian
government and the Foreign On1ce as to which Of
them should appoint tho of1cers Of the British
mission there. The Indian government found the
money and gave about twelve thousand year
for the support nj tho legation. II therefore han
kered longIngly after the patronage attached to
such good thing. The Minister, who had great
authority and importance, received $4,000 year,
ana could easily put BY $4,000 oft; for do what he
spend more than pound day on the expenses
Of his household In Q country where the
necessaries Of life were at almost nominal
prices and nothing else was to be had for love or
money. Then the Minister lived rent free In fur
nisned house at Tehran, and the expense OF his
Summer residence, wherever he liked TO tx II, a.
well as all travelling expenses when he moved
about with the Shah, were paid for him. Most Of
his servants were paid by the government, too,
and he might put nearly what he liked under the
elastic heading OF "extraordnaries" into his pub
lie accounts, which were only audited by his own
paid agent at the Foreign once. He had also
power to draw on the secret service fund.- Of which
no accounts were kept ct all. All his stan were
paid equally handsomely, and boarded and lodged
at the public expense. Appointments to tho Brit
ish mission in Persia were, therefore, eagerly
coveted by onlcers In the Indian service,
and the pay Of Minister or even an
attache in addition to their own, was well worth
having. On the other hand, the young English no
blemen belonging to the regular diplomatic corps
did not fancy the Perian mission at a and the For
eign ONCE agents who practically administered the
patronage OF their department used it either a.
penal settlement to punish those diplomatists who
would not pay them blackmatl or TO promote
those who did In sly way out Of their turn.
When they played the latter trick they gave an
appointment In Persia to nobleman who was prt-
vately informed that he would not be expected to
60 there Thus Lord Napier who was Afterwards
British Minister to the United States, was sp-
pointed to Persia In the September Of one year
and transferred to O0nstantnople In the month Of
January Of the following year. VI course he neither
went nor could have gone TO Persia during the pc
Rod which interviewed between these two appoint
ments, and his nomination TO the Persian Legation
at ell was merely pleasant and profitable trick OF
his agent at the Foreign once.
vIcroBY OF The PoREIGN OFFICE AGENTS.
After long struggle between the Indian govern
ment and the Foreign once the Indian govern
ment had been outmsneuvred, and in 1853, when
diplomatic relations were suspended between
Persia and England, the patronage OF the mission
at Teheran was in the hands Of the Foreign once
agents They had appointed the Honorable Charles
Augustus Murray. who had been Master OF tho
Queens Household, and who had married the
daughter Of Mr.. James Wadsworth, an American
gentleman Of large fortune. NJ. Charles Murray
was man Of fair abilities. He had written novel
called "The Pra IRE Bird" which had passed
through several editions. He was Q contributor
to rather dull periodical known as Frazer's
Magazine, and he had been for some years British
Political Agent and Consul General In Egypt. But
he knew no more Of Persia than he knew Of
Timbuctoo. and very soon got into diniculties
there. Lord Palmerston, who had not appointed
him, but. who had connived good humoredly at
his appointment to please the Court, observed
dryly to the Persian Envoy in London, that N
England sent gentleman to Teheran the Persians
got him into trouble, and II she sent any one who
was not gentleman he got them into trouble"
Lord Palmerston's idea Of q gentleman was that
he should be the son or brother OF lord, and Mr..
Murray was both.
PERSIAN METHOD OF NEoorArrNo.
The Persians nearly worried this ex-Master of the
Queens Household out Of his wits They began By &
giving him the vexatious nickname OF the "Un-
lucky Footstep," and then they brought some queer
charges against his morality -charges which they
Afterwards of1ciaily retrscted and allowed to have
been false. Then they teazed him. Whenever he
was instructed by the Foreign once agents, who
knew no more OF Persia than he did, to make any
diplomatic communication TO the Shahs govern
ment they replied by translating and transcribinQ