New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-05-16
THE SHAFTS AMBASSADOR.
MIRA ALINAGHr KHAN AND HIS
MISSION FROM PERSIA

A
THE BEARER OF AN IMPERIAL. MESSAGE AND
DELEGATE TO THE POSTAL CONGRESS.
Washington, May 15.-There are many distin-
rujshed men r the International Postal Con-
rress assembled at Washington. But the dele
gates from Persia. quite above their prominence
IN tho Congress- have the distinction OF being
snecisl embassy sent to the United States by
His Imperial Majesty Muzaffer-ed-Din, Shah OF
Persia, TO announce his accession to the tnrohe'
IT will be remembered that just a year ago
Nassr-e ed Din, Shah Of Persia, was assassina'eo'
He assembled the throne when scarcely more
thnn boz, and enjoyed the remarkape reign
Of Atty years. All Persia was rejoicing over the
event in great jubilee, and at the heigh' OF the
ceremonies when the Shah was about 10 enter
the mosque for the thanksgiving prayers ne
WAS approachcd by q man with outstretchcd
hand, as If In the act OF petition BeheVihg IL
to be this, the Shah paused and kindly asked:
What is It, my SON. They were the last words
OF the monarch. as the next instant the report
OF a pistol rang out and he fell back In the
arms Of his attendants. expiring in few mo-
ments The assassin religious fanatic,
who believed II to be his duty to make change
of rulers for his country.
Some idea Of the honor and Importance at
tachod to the special embassy from Persia may
be had from the fact that 1t is fifty years since
ambassadors extraordinary have gone out from
Persia on a similar mission. When the late Shaa
assembled the throne he sent ambassadors eX-
traordinary to the courts Of Europe to announce
tho fact And now his son, Persia's new ruler.
includes the United States among the great ma
tions to whom he in sends the formal an
nouncement Of his accession to the throne.
AN UNUSUAL CEREMONIAL
hQn
Ambassador Extraordinary appointed by the
Shah 10 bear the imperial message to the Fresi
dent. On Monday he viii be presented with
even mora than the usual formal ceremon! at
tending the presentation of a foreign AMBASSADOR
to the President Of the United States Inc cere-
,nony will take place in the Blue fooH' "hete
the Ambassador will deliver to the Fresioeh'
the autograph letter OF his sovereign ana inahe
his own little speech. which he VIII denver e"-
tennporaneously. The Presidents reply Will also
be without manuscript. though there VIII De
printed translations in Persian ana Enshsh OF
both addresses.
In the selection Of Mira Alinaghi Khan to be
the bearer OF the imperial message the Shah
conferred an honor not only on Persia, but also
on the United States. The Ambassador is an
accomplished dplomatist Of wide experience.
having served his country in Russia, France.
Egyp. and Turkey. His present official position
IN the Shah's Government Is next to the Prime
Minister the title Of which is Musteshar -ul-
Vezareh or First Secretary OF the Council or
state q position corresponding to our First AS
sistant Secretary Of State. In Persia he is ad-
dressed by this official title, rather than Mira
Al,naghi Khan though Mira is a title IN recoe-
milton Of learning, similar to Doctor OF Laws III
ngl.sh-speaking countries. and Khan Is a TUE
conferred by the SHAH similar IN rank 10 tha'
Of Pacha in Turkey.
The Ambassador is about nifty years OF age but
x,,or,d readily pass for a man ten years younger.
1I,s Arm well-built figure is trifle above the
.versee height of his countrymen and his strong
dark face. when in repose. is grave and serious
1,u+ phen he smiles his fine eyes light up Win
something Of a radiant expression, ana ne "ouio
at once be called a handsome man. A quiet dig
nifty and courtly manner. together with an eX-
srennely pleasant. well-modulated voice. compete
a. personality that IS decidedly attractive Mira
Alinaghi Khan has had a distinguished career IN
the Persian diplomatic service, and with MS
enIendid court uniform wears many 5eweled
orders conferred by his sovereign. But his mod
esty and simplicity Of character were revealed
to-day in a single sentence. Wheh asheo a"ou'
himself he replied:
at have served my country thirty-rlVe years anu
have tried to do my duty"
GIFTED IN LANGUAGES.
Though the Ambassador does not speak Eng
ush he speaks four other languages. Persian or
course. is his mother tongue. and he speaks
French with the fuency and grace OF Partisan,
while he is equally at home in Arabic, Russian
and Turkish. Indeed, 1t may be said that the
Embassy is wonderfully gifted in the command
of languages. The secretaries are highly edu-
Gated scholarly men. The first secretary. Mira
Mohammed-Al Khan, speaks five languages, IN
Gliding English learned In India, where he has
spent much time In the Persian diplomatic ser
vice The second secretary, Major Nevdon Bog
atian. Of the Persian Army. who is an Armenian,
sreaks seven languages and his English is as
rt;fect and clear cut that Of the born and bred
Englishman. He is widely travelled ana mas
r,oda a nrevious visit to the United States.
Co,+,or, IN The general impression. the ap
po;ntment OF the special Embassy by the shan OF
parsio bas no bearing directly or indirectly on
the establishment Of a permanent Legation OF
Persia at Washington. And the appointment or
tha Ambassador and secretariet as delegates TO
.be Postal Congress was an after-thought on the
part of the Shan which had nothing to do with
the special mission. except in the opportuht!
offered to kill two birds with one stone Inc
reason given by the Ambassador for not main
tanning a Legation at Washington Is mat the
business interests OF Persia in this country are
not sufficient to warrant the expense OF Lega-
tion and the relations between the two govern
rnents are so friendly that there is no call FOR
dhect Diplomatic Intercourse There IS, however.
sill a lingering memory Of the last representa-
five Of the Shah at Washington. who presented
his credentials about ten years ago. ard after
a few months service suddenly turned his back
on the New World ard sailed for home. IT was
an open secret at the time that HadU Hassein
Choolv Khan the Minister Of Persia, regarded
Americans as a peculiar people" and, on the
other hand Americans thought the Persian diplo-
mat peculiar man.