The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-07-29
Mr.. e. C. Granville Murray Gives
an Exhaustive View Of the Do
miniOns of the Shah.
The People, Products and Re-
sources of the Realm.
The Shah Not Richer than New
York Capitalist.
An Analysis Of the Persian
Government.
REUTERS HUGE ELEPHANT.
The American Colony i'm
Persia.
The Jews, Armenians, Parsees and
Christians.
II H e PRIZE S IT. HOOD
The Army Of Reserves as an I'M
disciplined Rabble.
Imports and Exports, Manufactures, Taxation
and Provincial Government.
"SITTING ON A MAN"
A Diplomatist Who Declined the
The Army Of Reserves as an I'M
disciplined Rabble.
Imports and Exports, Manufactures, Taxation
and Provincial Government.
'SITTING ON A MAN"
A Diplomatist Who Declined the
Honor.
PARIS. July 10, 1873.

PARIS July 10. 1873.
The name OF the Shah ofPersia IS properly spelled
| Nassr-ed-Din. His Official title Is Shah-in-Shah.
or King of Kings. He was born in 1929. He Is the
eldest of the late Shan Mohammed and he
succeeded to the throne the death OF his father,
in 1s4S. He is absolute ruler within his dominiOnS
and master OF the lives goods and liberties OF alt
his subjects. He has, moreover, the right OF des.
ignating his successor and has already used it OLE
two different occasions.
The whole revenue of the country being at his
disposal there Is no limit to his fortune, except
the utter exhaustion OF the resources OF his coun-
try. The property OF the present Shah is reported
to amount to f4ooo 600 sterling one-half OF which,
ia correctly incorrectly alleged to be represented
by the crown jewels. The largest Of these gems is'
the Derya-i-Noor, which weighs l7s carats but isl
not remarkable for its brilhancy.
NASSR-EDDIN
is the fourth sovereign Of the dynasty OF the Kad-
jars, which TOOK possession OF the country after
civil war extending over fifteen years, from 177g
| to 1894 Aga Mohammed Shah, who assembled the
throne In 1894, after having upset his rival the
| first sovereign OF this line. He was succeeded in
1897 by Feth-Aly Shah, and Mohammed Shah fol-
lowed him in 1886. It is quite within the power Of
| the Shah TO alter or override the existing law Of
| succession and to leave his dominions, with an
utter disregard Of his natural heir, TO any member
| OF his family, whose name is legion.
PERSIAN GOVERNMENT.
The form OF government In Persia is similar in
many important respects to that OF Turkey; but it
is frmer stronger and more energetic. A travel
Ter becomes sensible OF this from the moment he
has passed the Turkish frontier Under the mild,
lax rule OF the Sultan all is anarchy, cOnfusioH
and disorder. The local Pacha is, usually, more Or
less, king Of his district, and as long he can
wiring enough taxes out Of the rajahs to make
presents to his superiOrs at Constantinope and
lead an easy life himself he lets law and govern
ment go to the deuce together. The shah's power
Is, however. felt from Bushre to Khoi, and the
local prince governors are very shy of mourning
his dispeasure.
PERSIAN LAWS.
All the Persian laws, like those OF every Moham-
metan country, are supposed to be based upon the
precepts OF the Koran and though the power Of
the Shah Is practically absolute, in theory 1t is
only in far IS it is not opposed TO the accepted
doctrines OF the Mohammedan religion, as exa
pounded In the sacred book OF the Prophet, in his
sral commentaries and sayings and in the inter-
probation given to them by the High Priest.
Hence the enormous authority and influence Of
the Persian and Turkish clergy. The Shah is re-
garded as the Vice Regent and representative Of
the Prophet upon earth; and 1t Is in this SEMI
sacred capacity that he claims implicit obedience by
divine right from the faithful. Under him the
executive government is at present carried on by
the mockery Of Ministry, who are mere crea-
lures OF the Shah's breath and who have no inde-
pendent will Of their own neither would they dare
to express 1t II they had one. They may be raised
to honor degraded to infamy at any moment,
and surely one OF the most undesirable positions
even in this slippery world is that Of q Persian
Minister.
THE PERSIAN MINISTRY.
The Ministry which waited on the Shah's bid
ding, however such as II was, formerly consisted
OF but two high functionaries One OF these per.
sonages was called the vizier-iAzem or Or ana
vizier-answering to the Prime Minister or
European statcs-and the other was known. as the
Ameen-ed-Dowlah, or Lord Treasurer. LAtterly it
has been divided into seven departm <nts. after
the European fashion.
THE GRIND vIzIER.
The Grand vizier, however, an 4 the Lord Treas
urer are still by far the most important members
OF the Persian Executive. TIE yizier directs AMI
controls the whole foreign. policy Of the govern
ment, and Is er 0Dcto ommapder. in Chief OF tho
army. He is like three 6yitish principal Secretaries
Of State rolled intoH %one, and assumes quite as
much consequence. The Lord Treasurer superin-
TENDS the nome ADMINISTRATION and collection OF
tue revenue. pc looks very sharply after tho
last name d brunch OF his ministerial duties.
TEE TWENTY PROVINCES OF PERSIA
TlEses into twenty provinces, each Of which is'
( under the control Of begerbeg.
THE PRINCE GOVERNORS.
II has been the policy Of the Kadjars 10 Keep 'no
government Of the country az much as possible ~
their own hands, and, consequently, most Oh mo
beeIerbegs are princes Of the royal fanny. my
are both civil and military governors OF 'ne Pfov-
inces connded to them. and they keep an eA-
tremely snarp lookout after taxes and rebels.
THE HAxEEMs.
The provinces Of Persia are again 'uodvided into
dstr,c,. supcrinsc nded BY hakesm, or lieuten-
ant governor, whose chief duty Is to look up de-
fauters and sslleot outstanding taxes by means Of
gentle persuasion applied BY sticks TO the soles Q,
, the feet There II also feeble attempt
! At local elfgovernment going ON in some
. towns and villages. For instance, . ketkhoaar
or magistrate Ia chosen at fixed times by election
IN esZtsin toxnA And sArnA yillaaAa chonsA "