The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-02-21
IN THE PERSIAN CAPITAL.
Something About Diplomatic Squab-
bleS at the Court Of the Shah.
The American Minister for Enter
prising Men-A Dinner a 10 Perse-Severe
Treatment Of the Ispahan Regiment.

Teheran Letter in New York Herald.
The new Turkish ambassador arrived here
few days ago. Turkey is the only power repre-
sented here by an ambassador and it looked at
one time as If there would be deadlock between
him and the ministers plenipotentiary of Ger
many and Russia. Teheran etiquette requires
the last conner, whatever his diplomatic rank to
call first while European custom compels min
listers to call upon newly arrived ambassadors.
This tempest in teapot" was finally stilled by
the Turk sending his cards to the ministers, who
then called in person. Quos ego AS most of
the diplomates have little or nothing to do here,
they spend a good deal of time in squabbling
over matters of precedence and etiquette that
assume an Importance out of all proportion to
their real significance. A dragoman or a second
secretary of legation in the wrong place at din
ner, neither eats nor drinks, and refuses alto
gether to be comforted. Russians give their
dragomans diplomatic rank, and not to put
theirs at disadvantage, other powers do the
same--that is, as far as Teheran is concerned.
This leads to endless squabbling between them
and the secretaries. and has broken up some of
the warmest friendships the sun of Teheran ever
shown on.
Since the excitement over the arrival of the
Turk subsidized the next questions are, "When
will the new American minister arriveP' HAS
he daughters2" HAS he got a secretary MIR.
Winston was reported to be on his way here
from Paris. This information came directly
from the Persian Minister of Foreign Affairs.
But now it is reported at the American mission
that the new minister will not arrive here until
May, wherein he will be doing wisely. as the
trip across the mountains OF the Elburz at this
season is next to impossible for ladies.
The missionaries here do great deal of good
work among Armenians, Parsees and Jews; but
as meddling with Mohammedan's faith is
strictly forbidden by the contract. and the con-
vert himself would speedily be killed, the NUM-
Der of MohammedanS converted to Presbyterl-
anism may be reckoned by a round 0.
When Mr.. Benjam came to Persia as the
first representative his country ever sent here,
many of the Persians believed that the Yeughi
Donia, or new worlders." were about to pave
the streets of Teheran with broad pieces bearing
the eagles stamp. AS such feat took place
the warm welcome extended toward Mr.. Ben
jamin will probably be- modified with
regard to his successor The Persians,
however, view Americans with less of fear
suspicion than they exhibit with regard to Rus
slams or English, and if limited liability COM.
pany were to be founded here. controlled by
Americans and guaranteed by proper pledges.
doubt not that handsome percentage on the in
vestment could be cleared without much risk.
A small banking business, a tramway, bazaar
for the sale OF American clocks or fancy articles
many Of which are already to be found in the
bazaars, would make money from the very start.
The presence of an American minister
here would be indispensable to the
cess of the enterprise and would be a reason for
his being, which there now is not. The only
American interests in Teheran are those of the
missionaries, very worthy. earnest gentlemen
and ladies. who do great deal deal of good, but
who would be sufficiently protected in case of
trouble by the English minister. The latter
would certainly IN such a case do his duty. how
ever unwillingly, by his American cousins"
When say .'unwillingly," / mean that the
English do not care to see any missionaries here
and have none Of their own, as their presence
might lead TO complications calculated to com
promise their relations with Persia, which. in
view of the Afghan question, is a matter of vital
importance
Where there is no American consul and where
there certainly should be one, is at Tifiis, with
vice-consuls at Batum and Baku, the two great
and growing ports of the Caspian and southern
coast of the Black sea.
Last night l went to a Persian dinner. served
in the true Persian style-Eo chairs or tables,
quantities of sweetmeats before dinner. and a
general absence of knives and forks. Piau
formed the mainstay of the feast, with mutton
kibobs dripping with grease between slabs of the
fiat. doughty, Persian bread. The entertainment
was varied by music on several species of man
dolins and tambourines. not bad in its way. and
as the screeching of q cat being slowly and
surely stranGled to death
There was also dancing by very young chill
dren. the indecency of which must be to be
believed. Among the dances was that of the
Indian Nautch girls, an Afghan dance, very spir-
tied and effective during which the tiny dancers
discharged toy pistols in the faces of the guests.
and the Cabuli or dance of Cabul. the prettiest
of all. danced with number of fans arranged
on the heads, the waists and the belts of the
dancers. producing very pretty effect Dancing
it can scarcely be ealled-the word has not that
meaning in Persan-ragsiden is to perform
series Of graceful and expressive movements,
accompanied by an appropriate play of feature.
1t is sensuous pantomime An unfortunate
European who had nervous twitch of the facial
muscles. was known here by the Persians as
"Requas," the dancer
The ignorance among the lower orders and the
soldiery is dreadful, and the insolence of the
latter-formerly terrible now on the wane-
sheds new light on q story circulated about the
Shah at the time of his last visit to Europe
allude to the straneling of some dozen men of
the regiment of Ispahan within the precincts of
the palace.
| At that time the insolence of the soldiery was
at its height The fanatcism of the common
| people was also much greater than now. go that
instead of guard at the legations. every Euro
| pean had two or three soldiers quartered on him
as protection One Frenchman had two and
when one OF the two disappeared the ignorant
| popuiace accused the Frenchman of having
murdered the soldier TO procure entertainments
| from the grease IN his body. The mob rose
against the Europeans in their fury. and the firm
ness of the general officer in command alone pre-
vented a general massacre. As it was, Euro
| peans were afraid to venture about the streets
after nightfall for long time. The soldier sup
| posed to have been murdered afterward turffed
| up He had merely fed to Tabris to escape his
| creditors.
The Shah was driving along the high road one
| day when some soldiers approached him with
49, hE~.A ~ I'M
| had not been paid for nine months. The son of
| the Minister of War. who accompanied the Shah
on horseback, galloped up among them and
dashed them across their faces with his whip
Some stones were thrown, and one of them
broke a window of the Shah's carriage. The
aid de-camp shouted to the coachman to start
the horses at full speed, crying out that an
attempt was being made to assassinate his