New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-12-19
THE BRITISH PEHLIVA.

There comes to mind to-day the history OF
Cbosroes the Blessed the greatest OF the Sas-
canaan shahs Through rash and ineXport gem
oraIshin his armies were defeated with disaster,
his emplre was invaded, his subjects were
seduced into rebellion and from all quarters the
oIon Powers Of Asia came mastering 10 join MS
onomies and 10 compass his final overthrow.
"And day by day were the lranians weakened
"for tbov were smitten with great slaughter.
land the number Of their dead was past count
"ing" Then In the extremity OF his distress
and humiliation the Shah sent greeting unto
Rnstem. his Pehiva, and besought him to come
forth from his retirement and lead his army, for
I'm him alone could he now put trust. Ana nus
tom roplIed: 80 Shah, since the day that
"mine arm could WELD mace have ever
fought the battles OF Iran, and 1t would seem
that rest may never come nigh unto me- let
"since I am thy slave, It behooveth me 10 ooey'
"I am ready TO do thy will" And with the COM
Ing OF the great Pehva the lranian armies TOOK
new heart and they overCame the allied hos's
Of China and India and Byzantium In ire
mendous victory which is known 10 this DAY as
the Vengeance OF Chosroes.
In almost every detail the Persian history IL
pnralleled by the British situation OF to-day.
Disaster. rebellion and the menace or allen
Powers have brought upon the British Empire
such humiliation and distress as II has not
known before for many a year. In such eN-
trcmty the old Pehliva Is called again 10 the
fore As Rustem did. Lord Roberts may well
any that ne has given his life to lighting tho
battles Of Great Britain and II seems as II no
never Is 10 know rest He began active service
before the Crimean War, in the very year. IN
fact. in which his lllustrious exemplar, the Duke
OF Wellington, died He has FOR nearly halt II
century benz fighting and campaigning and
organizing and ruling ms few other men IN
British history have done. And now, M nearly
the Psalmist's limit Of mans age, he Is sum
moned from the brief rest he was beginning TO
enjoy 10 assume the burden OF the most mo-
mentous responsibilities and the most arduous
campalgn that any British captain now living
has ever known; summoned, too, from the
gloom of the deep personal bereavement OF the
death of his only son. To that summons he re-
sponds We shall see II the sequel shall com
plete the parallel in a campaign OF victory.
There Is. in truth. full need Of srch n calling
forth OF the gray champion Of Candahar with
the condueror OF the Soudan for his lieutenant
md the hero Of Omdurman by their side
Neither optimism can dazzle nor sclf-conldencc
I
blind the British nation 10 the fuct that the
existence Of it's Empire is now AZ stake. The
march to Candahar was TO save garrison from
capture and massacre. The march TO khar
toum was 10 redeem from barbarous bondage q
province that had been fatuousy thrown away
The march to Ladysmith, to Kimberley and to
Pretoria itself will be to save the British En-
| pre from dissolution and TO save Grent Britain
| itself from degradation to the rank Of third
| rate Power That is the mission whercunto the
British Pehliva is called. The task and the man
are alike worthy OF each other; nor can we doubt
| that the fuhlment OF the task will also be
! worthy Of them both. The man who could lead
n mere handful Of troops triumphantly through
n million foes three hundred miles along the
rugged tanks Of the Hindoo Koosh In three
weeks time can surely lead the British army
across the Drakensberg, the Orange and the
Vaal. The Empire which above all others In IN,
world has stood for progress, for freedom and
| for the rights of man must not be shattered Al
! the very hour when the world has most need OF
| its benefcence