The daily morning journal and courier., 1896-07-30
THE PURCHASE OF PERSIAN GOV
ERNORsHIPs.

THE PURCHASE OF PERSIAN GOv-
 ERNoRsHIPS.
 The vast wealth in jewels and specie left by the late Shah will be inherited by the new one, and fifteen millions are not too high an estimate of it's worth, the great globe of gold incrusted with huge gems being valued at one million sterling, while the historical diamond, the Deryah-i-Nur, or Sea of Light, and a vast treasure of gems, cut and uncut, among which are strings of perfect pearls as big as sparrows' eggs, form part of the largest and most valuable collection of precious stones in the world these and the cellars full Of coined gold mostly English sovereigns and Russian imperials, and bars and ingots of pure gold, all pass with the bejeweled peacock throne, the spoil of the conqueror Nadir to the fortunate zaffer-eddin, who commences his reign as the wealthiest monarch in the world.
 Nor was the great treasure left by the late Shah wrung by tyranny from his ryots; he was able to accumulate vast sums in what is considered in Per- sia a perfectly legitimate manner. Just prior to the Persian new year the annual changes in the provincial gov ernorships were made, and then the magnates of the kingdom would pro- ceed to bid against each other for place and power. Tie actual cash value of the revenue of each province or district in a normal year was pretty we'll known; this sum had to be paid or guaranteed to the king; in addition a present, we should call it a bribe, had to be laid at his Majesty's feet. Now came in the element of speculation. If. the harvest was likely to be good, if the province should remain tranquil, the profit from surplus revenue would probably be large, and the kings gov ernor would have a good chance of reaping a rich harvest, of being re- tained in office, of receiving a dress of honor, and sort of social promotion by means of high-souRding title, as Sword of the State. Pillar of the. Kingdom Shadow of the King" (which latter phrase is the translation of "Zii-es-Sutan'D These are among  the recipient ceases to bear his ordina- ry name and is universally known for life by his title. Some of these Orien- tai life peerages carry a title which, in western eyes, is almost comic. One Mirza Riga, an officer in the service of the Zil-es- Sultan, was made Banan-ul- Mulk, 1. e., "The Little Finger of the Province" In Persia, however, a title means a great deal, and confers nobili- ty as we'll as precedence. If, on the contrary, trade was languishing, or drought threatened and once during the writer's stay in Persia no rain fell for two years, the amount of the pres ent offered for his Majestys accept ance would be considerably lessened, and at times, when province was much disturbed, no one would be dar- ing enough to make an offer for a post the possession of which might result in severe pecuniary loss to the pur- chaser, and possibly punishment in the shape of fine of many thousand to- mans, degradation. or the bastinado; for in Persia even the kings sons are liable to be beaten with sticks on the soles of their feet at the will of the Shah The punishment is painful; a man map even die under it or be famed for life; but, like birching at a public school, it conveys no loss of personal reputation.
 At such times the king of Persia was compelled to fall back upon a strong governor, some great nobleman or roy- al parsonage, to whom fear or mercy was alike unknown, some terror to evil doers. Such a man was the late His same Sultaneh (the Sharp Sword of the State), the late kings uncle. At first the strong governor would coquet; he was i'll, he was building new house, he was growing old, he wished to retire from public affairs. Then the Shah would offer to forego the custo- mary present; this would be respectful ly declined. and at length greater or less proportion of the revenue would be actually remitted, and the strong gov- ernor, with full powers and regiment or two, would start for the disaffected or starving province. On his arrival he orders a jail delivery and g. wholesale execution of malefactors, the bastinado is kept going continually on the feet of minor offenders. criminals are blown from guns, or executed, and their quar- ters hung at the gates of the city. high way robbers are walled up alive in brick pillars; and in a few weeks tran quillity reigns, the villagers can till their fields, crimes of violence cease, caravans can travel without a guard, and the merchant and shopkeeper feel safe in the bazars.
 "They call me cruel" said the His sam-es-Sultaneh to the writer; T am the really mercifuI man; look at my