Year: 1873

ity He secs no reason why he should change
his mind and soul IN changing his iattnde.
and 40 no adhercs TO his Unborn fancy that
time is his slave and that he will never be
bound by it.. At several reviews and other
important ceremonies where he was ex-
pected, he seems 10 have gone upon
tbe principe of that cheerful con-
wet who said Of hs own hanging,
"There will be lno fun till / get there" Vi
course his misbchayor in this capital matter
a naturally accompanied by so much OF rude
mesa and neglect Of minor morals. that the
English journals are beginning to ask the Tor
bearance of the British public on the ground
of the difference of etiquette in London ana
Toheran. The fact that the Sultan was guilty
of no such outrageous breaches of decorum, ana
that the Khedive, in his visit to England ana
in his reception of all Europe at home, was on
the whole better bred man than his hosts on
the former occasion or his guests on the lat-
ter, shows plainly enough the marked infe-
riority of the present royal tourist to those OF
hs faith who have preceded him.


His attemptslto take advantage of the intor-
nation and Impressions gained on this journey
are also characteristic. The internal improve
ments in Turkey are usually the fruit of some
well-detined plan. i'll which the native states
men have come to terms with foreign capital
sts-and usually swindled them. In Egypt
the Khedive, seconded by clear-headed and
enlightened men like Nubar Pasha, has projected
a scheme of public works astonishing III lts
vastness, but still apparently practicable In
the farthest East. the modern progressive spirit
appears not ~ yet Incompatible with the
bureau systems of China and Japan. But the
spasmodic attempt at progress by the Shah OF
Persia, resulting in his prepOsterOus conces-
siOns to Baron Reuter-, only indicates the
morbid anxiety of feeble mind to seem active,
and its natural eagerDess to relieve itself OF
all labor and responsibility in the accomplish
ment of desirable but difficult reforms. The
contract which he has made with this keen and
enterprising speculator amounts virtually to an
abdicat0n of all initiative or control IN
the internal improvements which he wishes to
see introduced into his country. 1t is not
likely that NJ. Reuter- has undertaken 80 vast
a scheme without perfectly definite ideas "A
to what he can accomplish by IT, and 1t Will
be no great surprise TO the world If 1T shall
appear that his chief object is to develop
the money making capacities of this concession
rather than the resources of Persia. The
terms of his treaty give him unlimited power
not only over the construction of the proposed
public works, but also over the negotiation Of
the loans by which they are TO be carried on.
The Government of Persia is to find its profit
in the improved condition Of the country, and
in a small proportion of the net profits Of the
railroads which are TO be built. But
it is in the highest degree doubtful
whether there will ever be any profit
to divide. Railroads TO be sttong and
healthy must be the result Of genuine want
and demand. They must be called into
existence by commerce which requires them,
and must not rely upon commerce which
they themselves create. The former expert
ments in railroad building in tho East are not
altogether roassuring. The Turkish railways
pay very i'll. The old one through Bulgaria
from Rustchuk to Varna is sustained at some
loss, and the new AdrianOple branch will
scarcely pay expenses. The most considerable
railways in the East are those built IN India
by British energy and capital. Tho line from
Calcutta and Lahore runs through thickly
settled and fertile region, but on the whole
the main line does not pay expenses, and It's
branches still less. They are retained as mil
itary roads, and are doubtless necessary for
the rapid movements of that excellent little
army which holds in a grasp of iron
hostile population of millions
But the condition of Persia Is
alike destitute of those elements of necessity
and those of productiveness which make the
railroads OF India a reasonable undertaking.
Tho country has not enough commerce to
Justify these roads, and ia too TRANQUILITY
obedent TO tho absolute authority of
the Shah TO need them in the rapid
transportation of domestic army. Still
less does there seem to be in Persia
any such popular revolutionary movement as
that which is working such a marvellous
transformation in Japan. 1t seems as if the
Shah had taken a fancy to be modern and
western, and had directed Baron Reuter- to
make Persia like England. If he does not do
it, he will do something else which will doubt
less be very profitable to himself in money
and TO the Shah in experience.