Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-01-15
PERSIA AND GREAT BRITAIN

ment OF England was CONSCIOUS o. the
fact that its attitude toward Persia was
untusttfiable and not in accord With Its
professions OF disin,erAstedness.
This "gun-running In the Persian gulf
requires explanation TO our American
readers, who are not supposed TO he
yersed in such matters: The explanatioI
will be doubly valuable should England
prove TO he insineere-that is. II "grn-run.
ming Is meant only a pretext for an
armed occupation OF Persia. which. after
the declaration OF Lord C>evA We refuse
to believe.
The LONDON Times. in a lengthy article
recounting the fight of the bluejackets at
Debai. on the Arabian coast az the gall.
INTRODUCES its readers to y "Trucisl
Oman. part of this pirate coast where
Great Britain made treaties With the ri-
rates in 1870 and 1853 TO preserve the
peace. In 1892 they made further treaties
with the tribes Piracy was suppressed
and. OF course. the slave trade. Bender
Abbas is an important trading town and
rendezvous for Afghan and Arab traders
England is jealous of her influence At
Bender Abhas and Debai because Of their
relations with India. These points are
open doors. indeed. for the introduction OF
arms and ammunition INTO India. and IL is
calculated that at least 10000 rifles aud
necessaries have been carried TO the
tIibesmen on the British side of the
Rifles SAWS the Times, have poured
into the tribal country. and we shall learn
TO our cost the meaning OF the charge
when next our troops are compelled 10
take the field.
Admiral Slade has been engaged since
several months IN attempting 20 close
these doors and stop the gun running.
He has done SO on the Mekran coast. but
while Muscat remains open he may MOI
stop the flow over the border.
France possesses treaty rights with
Muscat since 1862. Also Holland and the
United States, but the trade,
French II is said. has chiefly thrived
under French traders. But
nlsAtS. while accusing France and
suggesting that representations should be
made to that government the Tiuies Is
suddenly reminded that British, consular
report shows that OF total OF S.sN
rifles landed at Muscas in DslS-S So"
were Martins from Belgium AID 2S."o
Of these came direct from Great 1ttain:
The Echo de Paris OF December ~.
warned bv its correspondent Of the situa-
ton at London. says that there is no
question of the Anglo-lndian interest III
the remuneration by France OF her treaty
rights at Muscat; that Asia Is sphere
in which France had shown desire 10
promote British interests: that IT was
case of interchange of Interests. Inc
Echo concludes: The word of the trans
action must be exchange and not renun-
ciati,n.
The 'gun-running' has another inter
esting and instructive phase Japan
has gotten into the game. according 10
the Times. and proposed to ship arms
used in the Russo-Japanese war TO I,Ji-
BOUT Opposite Aden). whence they were
TO be sent 10 Ahyssinia. England -
concerned because a large stock from
the same source may find-has, perhaps.
already found-its way to Muscat or 10
Bender-Abbas. :,
In order to control. if possible. the ~
licit trafiic i'm arms in Africa ana ASIA. II
was decided by interested governments 10
convene i'm 1909 at Brussels what was
termed the international arms confer
ence.
of the traffic i'm arms. which EXTENDED
already from the twentieth parallel
north to the twenty-second south. to the
entire African continent. and the islands
and waters within twenty miles OF tlle
mainland The conference could not
agree and. after a second Adjournment.
the British undertook the patrol o. the
gulf BY the fleet under ADMIRAL Slade
The election of Nasr-ul-Mulk to the
regency Of Persia on the death OF AsAd-
ul-Mulk. September %
Regent 1910. was an event Of su.
preme importance at this
OAOseH. juncture I'm Persian af-
fairs. Mira Ali kuli. Khan. the distin-
suished charge d'affaires OF the Persian
legation. replying TO my query Would
the accession of the new regent inaueu-
rate a change of policy in Persia said:
.Nasr-uI-Mulk is one of Persia's most
distinguished scholars and statesmen. lie
is profoundly learned and familiar with
the language and politics of England.
being a graduate of Oxford. Under his
regency Persia will take her place among
the important nations of the world. No.
there will be no change Of policy. Per
sia's policy IL progress and industrial
and economical development. and for the
rest, Persia asks only to be left alone
to work out her own destiny
Persia. like Egypt and China. invites
American capital and industry to exploit
her vast fields of mineral and industrial
resources. A long time ago. In July.
1906. under the title of America In Ara
bia and Persia ! wrote that Persia
would welcome with JOY the peaceful
intervention of America. which. insurinS
friendly protection. would develop her
sources"
The Persians have been quick 10 per
ceve the advantages of close CONNER
cial union with America
American and have already taken
r4A action by applying to the
AASeASe'' United States to recommend
financial experts. and ii appears that
seven financial experts have already been
engaged. In this regard there should be
extreme caution.
Now that we know that Persia s un-
alterable policy is, Persia for the Per-
slams" what becomes of the purported
text of the Russo-German agreement il
which Germany recognizes "Russias in
terests in northern Persia? And then
we are told that such assumption will
be resented by France and England.
Better that England should promptly
disayow her former agreement with
Russia relating to spheres of influence.
which is the cause indeed OF the dis
orders in Persia of which England has
complained. England liz no longer the
England of the old regime and may De
as liberal now as she was formerly auto
cratic and selfish
DR. Dillon in the Contemporary Re
view commenting upon Persian aHa1rs,
writes: "Internationalism is the con-
s,,mma ton toward which Persia is drift
ing" Internationalism is naturalization.
which may alone protect and preserve
Persia from the heel OF the trespasser,
M