'The Expedition for the survey of the rivers Euphrates and Tigris, carried on by order of the British government, in the years 1835, 1836, and 1837; preceded by geographical and historical notices of the regions situated between the rivers Nile and Indus. In four volumes. With fourteen maps and charts, and embellished with ninety-seven plates, besides numerous wood-cuts. Volume the first.' [‎238] (303/905)

238
MILITARY FORCE.
[CHAP. XI.
attendants, 1 constitute the chief item. Some hundred of
mounted gholams, with the ordinary attendants, are the
second; an extensive state stud, and a multitude of baggage
cattle the third ; and to these should be added the dresses of
honour, presents and salaries given to ambassadors, ministers,
and officers, including among the latter those specially sent to
observe the management of the distant governments,
strength of The army may be said almost to complete the demands
ic army. ll p 0I1 r0 y a l purse, after those caused by the all-absorbing
state maintained in the palaces. Shah Abbas abolished the
inefficient system of provincial troops and militia, by revert
ing to the ancient practice of keeping up a regular army; and
during Chardin's travels, the numerical strength of this force
was equal to about 80,000 men. 2 At present, the standing
army, exclusive of the Kurdish and other irregular cavalry,
consists of fourteen battalions of infantry, one regiment of
cavalry, and six or eight troops of artillery, or nearly 13,000
men, who have been brought into an efficient state by British
officers, and are supported at a very trifling cost; 3 but the
commissariat is very defective,
irregular The bravery of the men has been sufficiently shown in the
late attacks on Herat, and at the storming of Bast, as well as
on other occasions. Moreover, they possess the important
qualification (for a country like Persia) of cheerfully accom
plishing long and difficult marches, even when scantily sup
plied with necessaries. The chief force, however, consists of
irregulars, which, on an emergency, and with the requisite
funds, might exceed 200,000 men; 4 a large proportion being
I'liyat cavalry, who perform feudatory service. Though the
Shah's army is maintained at a trifling expense, compared with
1 The harem of the late shdh was said to contain 300, or, according to some,
800 women, at an annual cost of about one million of tomans 10,000 Persian dinars, or a gold coin of that value. .
8 Consisting of kuzilbaches and gholams, with a proportion of guards.
3 The Persian soldier (including food and clothes) nominally received, in
the time of the late prince royal, about two tomans 10,000 Persian dinars, or a gold coin of that value. per month, or nearly
twenty shillings.
4 When the shdh marched to oppose the Russians in 1837, the mixed force,
called Luskhur (army), which accompanied him, was between 80,000 and