New-York tribune., 1873-07-04
THE SHAH IN ENGLAND.
A GIGANTIC ADVERTISEMENT.

FOREIGN GOVERNMENT PAYING TO ADVERTISE
Tl1E sCHEME-THE SHAH AS AN ADVERTISING
MEDIUM.
fynoM THE REGULAR CORRESPONDENT OF THE THBUNE.l
LONDON June 2l.-LondOn now comprises two
classes Of inhabitants, those who have seen the
Shah Of Persia, and those who have not seen him;
OF more ooncsely, the happy and the wretohed.
There is an extraordinary excitement about this
Oriental potentate among all varieties of people.
Since he landed on Wednesday at Dover he mas
flied the newspapers and been the only topic Oh
conversation. The fashionable world throngs palace
aud salon. crowds about the Throne and elbows Ior
room in Stafford House and the Guildhall 10 get d
glimpse Of this tawny savage. Fleets ana armies
are put in motion to do him honor. Buckingham
Palace is turned into a hotel to lodge hm Inc
great bodies of State the Ministers, the Diplomatic
Corps the Royal Household, the Prince and Prin-
ceases of the Blood the Queen herself, rval each
ther in their attentions. The streets through which
no passes are lined with spectators. In a word,
London has got Shah on the brain, and plain man
might be puzzled to say why.
To begin with a CHASTITY whisper has been heard
that he rs not the Shah, that the real Shah is com
fortably shut up in Teheran, and has sent lay
figure to represent him. Itis pity this Is not true
IL would be the best joke ever known at the expense
Of such a number of the best people. But fear
there is no reason to doubt that the genuine mon
with a substitute is only extravaganza OF the
skeptic gossip which circulates in certain circles
We heard other queer stories before he came,
especially from Berlin. They said he slapped the
Empress on the shoulder. Another version OF tins
veracious legend was that he asked the Imperial
Augusta get ont of his way, as be could not see
through her. 1t if, believe true that he touched
her on the arm TO call her attention to question;
and that suppose was, to the aristocratic mind OF
10 iYuno
bored him with its BucHam etiquette all credible
witnesses agree. How much he suffered, and what
degree Of relief his tortured spirit sought, is dmly
limited by an anecdote going about on the usual
good authority. The Emperor himself deigned to
perceive that his guest weary, and besought him
TO say what would amuse him. The Shah answered
that il would be a qualification TO him if the En-
poror would have the kindness to order an execu-
tion. The worst thing said of him Is that he is
dirty which seems very unlikely.
Men who have been with the Shah from his en-
trance into Europe, say that Europe has told upon
him wonderfully. lie has changed some of his hab-
its waived immutable laws of Persian etiquette and
tried 10 be civil TO his hosts after their fashion
stead of his own heard that he really seemed to
understand the significance of the great naval dis
play at Dover and eager 10 see the greater one at
Spithead on Monday. He was content with 1t
that he minded little the dTenchng he got III Lon
don some hours later on the way from Charing Cross
70 buckingham Palace. All military matters inter
est him. For one, should like to know what he
Thought Of the Household Cavalry which escorted
him. the most brilliant and most useless troops III
Europe. His Majesty can ride if he do nothing
slse. You will have heard what chase across
country he led the BurgOmaster Of Brusses-an Incl
dent which reminded me Of Mr.. joaquin Millers be
ing challenged to ride to the hounds against noted
Enslsh sportsman. Mr.. Miller told friend that he
should certainly break tue Engshman's neck and
think he is likely TO keep his word. For another
thing, His Majesty the Shah has learned to drink
champagne.
To anybody behind the scenes, nothing could
have been more amusing than the solemn debate
which filed the papers week before the Shah came
about the political significance of his visit. The
truth is pretty generally known. The Shah IS
in Europe at the instance of Baron Reuter-, for the
promotion of the extraordinary concession which
Renter obtained from him last year. The terms Of
that concession or the substance Of il, pub
lIEAed here month ago. but attracted no attention.
They attracted good deal when they appeared in
Wednesdays Tines I need not repeat the details
which you viii have already published Itis enough
20 say that they give Baron Reuter- power to estab
Ish monopoly and jurisdiction IN Persia greater
than ever the East India Company established in
India ANY Engshman who cares anything about
its relations and the relations of England with Per-
ria are Of the last importance TO the permanent
setnrity of that Empire. England and Russia have
Hong been diplomatic rivasat Teherah Yetit appears
certain that the concession obtained by Baron Reuter-
which puts in his hands the keys to India and the
mower TO say whether he will make Persia Russian
or English was obtained without the knowledge or
saspicion of the English Government. They have
often been badly served by their ENJOYS but never
wore than by Mr.. VIM. Tsylour Thomson, who draws
pay as Minister PlenipOtentary 10 his Majesty OF
Persia The Russians knew all about it, no doubt,
ON the surface they the first beneciares, since
she railway which Reuter- is 20 build between the
Caspian and the Persian Gulf opens a military road
for Russia 20 the Persian capital. Now that the
Ching is done the Government has taken alarm, but
what can they dot well-infOrmed writer says
that Baron Reuter- has been working at the scheme
for years aud that he did not carry his point till
.be famine was at its hight in 1871. The concession
was ISSUED at Teheran July p. 1872. 1t does not
SEEN to have been heard of in the English Foreign
Office for ten months, the import Of it to have
been oomprehended even then. When they heard
the Shah was coming 10 Europe, it dawDed upon
the astute officials who preside the foreign re-
lstiOns Of England that it would be good time
10 get something out of him, 20 impress him with
abe power Of England TO persuade him that
England was a better ally than Russia, and so on.
They made Preparations accordingly. and when The
preparations had been made, discovered that they
were TOO late, and that Baron Reuter- was to be i'm
pressed and persuaded instead of the Shah. They
knew Baron Reuter well enough TO understand that
there was but one way of reaching him. He had
bought the concession, paid probably a very large,
hut certainly considerable, sum for it, and he must
DE bought out or left IN possession. And the means