The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1883-08-23
An IMPOSING EoEprroI.
4 description of the loyal Manner in
Which Persia Re- ived the First
Diplomatic Repre- hntatiye From

W HUI AeIS lh ne lfeu tue flTSl
Diplomatic Repre- hntatiye From
the United States.
S. G.. a. Benjamin the first diplo
matte representatives of the United
States to Persia, givd the following
account of his receipt N by the Shah
A brilliant pageant had been pre-
pared outside the wac Of Tehran. at
one of the royal PAIN ons. At the
stairway of the pavid n BENJAMIN
was met by the NaserL Iulls. or Gen
eral-in-Chief of the arr les of Persia.
and glittering crowGlk IF prominent
officers, blazing with biol scarlet. sill
yer and gold and decGt lions innu-
merable of diamonds an costly gems.
benjamin was escorted an audience
hall by the General and |hiefs, where
an exchange of courteSE was offered
and accepted. Next Be- Ajamin was
taken to the court below nd mounted
upon fine horse to 2 bntinue his
travels. This was tn signal for
every one to mount, and e cortege
of nearly 1000 royal gus lis was put
in mott IN, they beine brilliantly
and elegantly coStum \. As the
procession moved across We plain to-
ward the. beautiful turreaed gate of
the city, which is deco lated with
parti-colored glazed tiles, II Cossacks
dashed hither and thithA. between
the lines, firing muskets inl the air,
and exhibiting the most brilliant
featS of horsemanship. The street
was lined with spectators. At inter
walls were stationed police OF squads
Of military. Passing Through the
grand square of the department of
war the cortege turned into the new
or European quarter of the city. On
approaching his quarters benjamin
was told by an aid that thre&. hundred
soldiers were marshaled at the en-
trance to receive him. Benjamin dis
mounted, returned their salute, and
accompanied by the general and chief,
of his staff, was escorted to the recep-
ton room, where further courtesieS
were shown and refreshments enjoyed.
Benjamin next made an informal
call on the minister of foreign affairs
at his residence, according to the Gus
tom of the country. He has held bis
Office thirty-siX years, and is a conser-
vatiVe and aStute statesman of kindly
manners and disposition.
On the 10th of J11lee- H Ben re-
ceived a e s2.ii from the Grand Cham5er-
ILL., iii who is the Son-in-law of the shah,
and who informed Benjamin that his
majesty desired to receive him at l p.
M, on the 18th. Benjamin was taken
to the palace in landeau furnished
by his majesty and drawn by six
horses, each mounted by a liveried
postillion, Twenty royal firauches or
foot-runnerS, clad in scarlet and wear
ing plumed tiaras, preceded the car
riages, together with a score of horse
men, accompanied by mohmaudan
and second master of ceremonies.
Benjamin arrived at the gardens of
the palace, which are beautiful with
fountains and shrubbery and foliage
arranged artfully and wild, after a
style peculiarly Persian. All were
uShered into spacious and handsome
hall, where the first master of ceremo-
MES and other gentlemen and digni-
taries, gorgeOusly arrayed were in wait
ing. Here Benjamin was invited to a
at of honor and treated to tea and
kaliaun or Waterpipe. Soon after, the
announcement was made to Benja-
min that his majesty was in readiness
to receive him, and thereupon he was
conducted by the first master of GER
emonies to the palace Itself, ~---~---
AT this moment" says Benjamin,
"a salute in honor of the United States
Numbered over the city, and, on en-
tering, we aSscended a magnificent
staircase. The walls were decorated
in part with paintings Of European
masters. From the staircase we en-
tered an audience hall of vast proper
lions and the most impressive effect.
His majesty stood at the upper end.
Leaving my outer shoes at the door, as
prescribed by the treaty Of Khowe-
madasch, l made low bow and then
walked up to where the king was
standing. Benjamin then addressed
the king in French and presented his
letter Of credentials. His majesty re-
piled that it gave him great satisfac-
ton to see the American legation at
Teheran, and considered that both
governments could be further bene-
fitted by increasing the intercourse and
diplomatic relations of the two peo-
pies" After this ceremony, his maj
esty expressed strong hopes that the
United States. now that it had estab-
lished a legation in Persia, should
maintain one permanently at Tehe-
ran. At the conclusion of the audi
ence with his majesty, Benjamin
made formal call upon the secretary
for foreign affairs, and paid his re-
spects also to his royal highness,
Naib Sultan, who is minister of war
and one of the sons of the king. and
thanked him for the military escort.