The Daily bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Hawaii]) 1882-1895, 1885-05-20
pERSJA'S ARMY.

y
resources of Persia with q view to
coming events in Asia some months
ago. IL was found that plenty of
good raw material for an army exis-
ted, together with an organized
force of respectable size, but i'm
perfectly instructed, armed and
equipped. 1t was estimated that in
khorassan, directly on the south
western border of Afghanistan and
south of the Russian line of the
Attrek, together with certain no.
madic tribes, could turn out nearly
100000 irregular horsemen; be-
sides these, the Shah's Irregular"
army comprises $4,000 more, prin-
cipally infantry.
The Persian troops have been I'M
der different administrations in
structed by both English, Austrian
and Russian officers. The present
organization is that introduced by
the English nearly half a century
since, with the exception of n few
regiments trained by Austrian Off
GERS two or three years ago. Major
Ut. John, who visited them in 1877,
says the infantry are in reality of
the quality of militia. The men
serve for five years and are then dis
missed for two years; they are
poorly dressed and equipped. The
arms include the Werndl, Berdan
and Winchester rifles; the majority,
however, are Werndl breech-loaders,
procured from the Austrian Govern
ment Some 1000 men are trained
as artillery, with guns of old pattern,
excepting a few Uchatius batteries.
Excellent gunpowder is manufac-
tured at Teheran, but the troops
use metallic cartridges of Austrian
make. There is but little regular
cavalry, but its place is supplied by
the Ilyat horsemen, splendid riders,
and only requiring European leaders
to make them excellent light dra-
goons. Altogether, the Persian
army, untitled to cope with Euro
peans sin the open," would be
troublesome to dislodge in their
native mountains. The Persian
soldier possesses q fine physique,
marvellous marching powers, per-
feet temperance, and ability to
endure extremes of temperature.
O'Donovan, in his "The Merv
Oasis" thus describes the appear
ance of Persian fort which he
visited in 1880: "It is about $50
yards square. AT each corner is
brick bastion. The curtain walls are
of unbakcd brick, and in a very
ruinous condition. On each bastion
is mounted an. oldfashioned bronze
twelve-pounder. beside which stands
wild artillcryman, in a tattered
blue calico tunic, faced with red
cotton braid, and wearing huge
shaggy hat of brown sheppskin. A
colonel commands the post. He
had under his orders 500 or GOO
nondcscript soldiers; some of whom
carried old smooth. bore muskets. A
select company was armed with
enormously long rifles of Persian
manufacture, having attached fork
support as rest, like the medieval
arqucbuses. With reference to
some cavalry which has been under
Russian instructors, it is reported
equal in appearance TO the best
Cossacll cavalry. Under native
officers the Persian troops are in
efficient and unmilitary; under
European leaders they will compare
with some of the best troops in the
world. O'Donovan " saw them on
one occasion when his Majesty the
Shah was paying a visit of ceremony.
The new Austrian drilled infantry
were standing at ease but keeping
their ranks, and in front of them the
traditional soldiers of Persia in their
slovenly garments, their attitudes
'at ease being more than any mill
tary code would have permitted. l
saw the 'old fogy' officers sitting on
their launches smoking their water
pipes and little troubling themselves
whether it was the Shah or anybody
else who was coming by. And little
further on Demoutovich's Cossacks
on foot, drawn up at ease more
accurately aligned than ever the odd
fogies' could have put themselves at
attention subsequently visited
their quarters. The men were in
their white Summer tunics, scrupul-
ously clean. In the stables the
horses were glossy with frequent
grooming, and the place was care
fully swept up. Subsequently one of
the European instructors said: you
see what they are now. When we
are gone in six months all will be the
same as if we had never been here. 4"
1t is estimated in India that Persia
could furnish 100000 men, provid-
ing the details of mobilization, or
ganization, instruction and command
/ IL al &