Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1909-07-14

sand Nationalist entered Teheran al
s o'clock this morning. They came in
by three gates, and the entire northern
section Of the city was soon in thel1
hands.
There has been some fighting in the
streets, but as a general thing the Ma
tionalists are preserving excellent or
der. They are sending out patrols
through the city The Shah is expected
mCmentarily to take refuge in one OF
the foreign legations.
The Royalist troops, particularly the
Cossacks. have taken uD position II
the central square and surrounding
streets, and it is believed that the Ma
tionalists will attack their position II
full force If they do not surrender. Th'
safety of foreigners does not appear
at this writing, to be seriously threat
ened
Stipahadar and Sardahasad. the Ma
tionalist leaders, are in possession Of
the building of Parliament. A body OF
local Nationalists, under the Leadership
of Young Soyed. have taken possession
of the residence of Standardization
the foreign minister Many of the
Royalst soldiers, including a number
of Cossacks, have deserted to the Ma
tionalists.
The populace of the city is enthusiast
over the advent Of the Nationalist
force. They throng the streets wear
ing red badges and offering encourage
ment to the revolutionary soldiers
There was sharp outbreak of rifle
fire this morning near the British le-
gation. but it did not last long and
the casualties among the Nationalist
were slight The Nationalists are ir
possession of the central Offices of the
Persian internal telegraph system
The Indo- European telegraph line, the
outlet to London, is still working but
with difficulty. Royalists and Nation
alists are fighting in the square IN
front of the offices of the company
which are under fire.
At the time of filing this dispatch
1.3o- in the afternoon. the fighting In
the streets continues, but it is mostly
at long range desolutory and neither
very destructive nor decisive. There
have been no attempts to Interfere
with any Of the legations or the Brit
ish or Russians banks and the lives
and property of Americans and Europ-
cans are not in danger.
The Russian flag is flying from the
house of Col. Liakhoff. the military COM
msnder at Teheran. where Nine. Liakhof
ccurageously persists in remaining. The
house is close to the square where the
Cossacks are opposing the advance OF
the Nationaists. and both it and the flag
are exposed to the bullets of the com
bs.tants.
The occupation of the Persian capita!
Ly the Nationalist today is IA direct re-
suit of the insistence of the Persian peo-
pie that the Shah govern the country I'M
der the constitution that was granted
jan. /. 1901 The Shah has shown an in
c!ination to ignore the constitution which
h, signed when he assembled the throne.
and he has even gone so far as to with
draw IT, His course has resulted In wide
spread unrest in Persia.
Following the dissolution of Parliament
ir 1908 great part of the country broke
out in insurrectioh. particularly at Tabriz.
which fell into the hands of the Nation
alists after short but fierce fighting.
White tne oIldli was u yihS W t'PS "is''
this situation in the north. the Bakhtiari
trihesmen, the fighting race of Persia.
arose in the south and early this year
captured Ispahan, 30 miles south of
Teheran. The tribesmen then began the
long march to the capital,
In addition to her internal disorders.
Persia has been beset by serious sit
uations on her frontiers. On one side
Turkey has invaded Persia in the di-
rection of Urumiah. her ground for this
step being frontier dispute of long
standing, and what with raids by Kur-
dish bandits and Turkish troops the
city of ITrumiah Is surrounded. On the
other side the British and Russian
governments have been urging the
Shah tn summon a representative as
sembly to end the state of anarchy, and
Russia. acting in full accord with
Great Britain, has sent a military ex
petition into Persia FROM Baku to
protect foreigners. This force Is now
at kazvin, Sc miles from Teheran.
The Persian empire is divided into
British and Russian spheres Of influ-
ence and these complications. together
with the Turkish aggression of the
Western frontier. served to increase
the hostilities between the internal
factions