The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-12-22
PERSIA As A WAR PoWER.

TuUlhT lDUl lu' AiIttT ~ steklnk n ItTtlln ALL
nncc, the probability that. II driven from Cabul
he will fall back to Herat. only seventy Ave
miles from the Persian frontier. and the talk OF
putting nm English garrison into Hcrat as well
rs Candahar. would DO enough to direct unu-
sual attention upon the kingdom Of the Shah.
But. IN addition. Lord Beaconsncld's speech
at the Mansion House. declaring that Rus
sian invasion OF India by the Khyber Pass
was hardly practicable" has been accepted by
military critics Us admitting that Persia is tho
vulnerable point. Thus tho Broad A,ro,r says:
We are further informed mat tho Government dos'
rrcon, that through Persia The thing denied Is this
that Russia would ihink OF invading India by way Of
Balkh or kundul and Cahul, pushing onward through
the HI, bcr Pass The thing affirmed j. this-hat from
herman Buuporc. and Khelat an nVasion would be
ea.he. The strategy forcshadow,d has been initiated
the occupation Of Candahar aud possibly Of llerat
This idea Of Persia as Il possible path for Rus
STA is presumably at the bottom Of the British
occupation Of Cyprus and also Of the rumorcd
new treaty with Turkey for the cession Of
Syrian port. The authority Just quoted holds
to be sure that though the route through Persia
Ia the real Russian line OF advance the base
would he the Caspian Sea rather than tho
Euphratcs Valley the former being more Sc
euro and much nearer 70 British India. That
however. is n detail we'll measured routes both
rum DhhuuTN anu from AsltIhudu. OF tllt LAS
plan. converge at Meshed in Persia. and from
Meshcd II is 23s miles to Hernt.
Two questions. therefore, arise: First as to
the political inclinations. and secondly rs to tho
military possibilities OF Persia. Nassr-ed- Din.
"a man Of 4S years. thirty Of Thorn passed on the
throne was painfully humbled by England n
little more than n score Of years since. But
time and European tours have probably as
suagcd that grievance. Russia. however
though sho plundercd Pcrsia OF several prov
inccs rs the result Of wars in the earlier part Of
tho century. now assumes TO be her natural
ally. II is worth noticing that Il was the Car
who procured FOR the Shah. in tho Berlin treaty.
the gratultous ccssion 81 Khotour; while the
delay Of Turkey in giving il up has naturally
nude the Shah look TO the Car as friendly
conqueror who will complete the Rift. Finally
the march OF the English TO Candahar and
Hernt viii hardly be- welcomed 10y Persia.
Should England establish herself at Herat It
might be regarded ms a menace by the Shah.
who might also take that opportunity 10 revive.
under Russian sympathy. his own claim upon
Hcrt. This would prcciptate trouble ut once.
II. therefore. tho events Of war should drive
Persia into choosing between the friendship Of
England ON the ono hand. and of Russia and
Aighauistan on the other il would bc very rash
TO say that she would prefer tine former.
Next, what can Persia do II is a country
probably Of six or seven millions Of people.
whose frightiul losses lmore than amiliionl by
the famine OF Ave years since. have been some
what repaired. under the influence of agricul-
urnl prosperity. The roads are bad and there
are No railways. but there is a good system Of
telcgraphs under military supervision. Tho
army is a curious patchwork of European and
Asatic systems. England, France. Austria.
Denmark. and Italy have al! had hand in
putting II together. and IL is soon TO be wholly
reorganized. In tho first year OF the century
Napoleon. seeing the Persian gateway to India
qu te as clearly rs any Russian or Englishman
of to-day. sent the Shah. by way Of masking
ready for the maturity of his iar-rcaching
plans. seventy French officers and non-com-
missioncd officers to organize and instruct the
Persian army.
II thus turns out that the Persian army on
paper looks quite formidable and well arranged
II is divided into 20 battalions Of infantry.
nominally brigadcd. and aggregate from 60 900
TO 10000 men. 10000 or 10000 cavalry and
about 200 artillery besides 200 7emhour-
redchi, or camel artillery corps. Tho Com
mnnder- in Chief. Sipch Salar A2em is tho
highest Minister of the realm there is an
Adiutant- General. n Chief Of Artillery. Chief
Of Engineers. Gen. BUTLER. two arsonas at
Tehcran and Tabriz with n French officer VAN
villicr rs director, military school. also under
n French Captain. while Con. Andrini. an Ital-
ian, is instructor Of the infantry.
When. however, we look moro closely. tho
Persian military power becomes anything but
terrible. la peace only 20 or 30 hattalions
aro under arms, for garrison. police and from
tier service; and it is "A long time since Persia
has had any larger force than this mustered.
AT of the rHyary r. irregular and tho comuu-
,aton Of its strength is based wholly on tho
number Of horsemen which each tribe is boun /
to furnish in war But il should be addad that
cavalry would be the chief Persian strength.
tho people being excellent riders and their
hors'9 swift and strong. Tho artillery has
small and inefficient cannon. without organized
batteries or trains.
Formerly the Pcrsinn soldiers service was for
life, but the law Of 1875 has limited it To twelve
years, with drawing by lots and privilege of
substitute, The new system, however is only
introduced into some proyir 'cs. The infantry
have hitherto been armed with percussion guns
but there are some Chassepots bought in France
and others manufactured in the Teheran Ar
senal. while a lot Of worthless converted muz-
ze-loadcrs were showed of on the Shah during
his visit 10 Prussia. Gen. Upton in his rowing
tour, found tho Persian army in n very bad
state-the company officers very ignorant pro-
motions practically purchasnbe. wages ekcd out
| by corrupt practices relief from duty bought and
Sold no commissariat, but foraGiug on tho
| country instead. rendering tho army terror
Sugh Is the attitude occupied hy Persia A. a
! puNSlhl' lnakt-WrlgNt ln the struggle for su-
/ pr"Wacy IN ASIA, She has gcographical uu,i-
/ non. ani she has the raw material OF splendid
cavalry To ullrr 10 her ally. whoever il may TO-
/ She may be nhle 10 give moro. The Sims II
/ wan AL around her have induced Persia 10 pre-
/ pnrn To ,c1mpH irlY reorgAu1c her army ON
/ modern Europ"hn plans. For this purpose She
| has lust engaged a force of Austrian oflrrrs.
| pr.7id"d oyer 10y Col. Albert Rtt-r Won Sch0no-
/ wv ana MAJOR \. Suioss, who have entered the
/ lff7luu s"Nlrc Tor three years. ON thruc times
| Their Austrian pay. rhe comulctcnc.s OF Tho
| propose reform may ho JUDGED from the typi-
I 'u lirl lhhi even Gor'nun musical Instruments
| arr" 10 Dee substituted for the j. r-iHn apparatus.
ulmu- 10 Austrian "nrs while regular kap-
| how 90 hloW. This rigorous drtcrmiuitinn f.,
| lhor9utnY graft FIrnpo6n ideas ON her on
| 'hul, 'fuhA ls most suggestive. II indicates
.....L !. M -LL--- I'm. WI. I'M r-.-L