‘GAZETTEER OF PERSIA VOL. I Comprising the Provinces of ASTARÁBÁD, SHÁHRUD-BÚSTAN, KHÚRÁSÁN, AND SÍSTÁN’ [‎302r] (610/722)

assistance against the Tuvkumans on the south-eastern shore of the Caspian
Subsequently, the Shah endeavoured to rectify this diplomatic error by
requesting that the Russian naval commander might be placed under the
orders of the governor of Astarabad ; or else that the naval assistance might
be withheld. Later still, the Shah informed the Russian minister that he
had succeeded in capturing the island of Cheleken, and that consequently he
did not require the presence of any Russian vessels. But Russia was not
piepaied to relinquish the idea of maintaining the police on the sea; and in
84-2 a Russian squadron appeared off Astarabad, and commenced putting a
stop to the predatory expeditions of the Turkuman pirates. Subsequently
the Russian officer took possession of the small island of Ashurada, and
conveited it into a naval station. The Persian government remonstrated in
vain The Russian minister declared, in the first instance, that the cruisers
had been sent at the urgent application of the Shah to put an end to the
piracies of the Tuikumans; and that the Czar did not anticipate such an
open display of ingratitude as was involved in the remonstrances of the
Peisian minister. Subsequently, Persia protested against the extensive
increase of the Russian buildings on Ashurada, but the Russian envoy
declined to discuss the subject; and thus the island of Ashurada has con
tinued ever since in the possession of the Russians.
It wiP now be necessary to glance at the progress of the administration
under Mirza Taki Khan. This able statesman had risen from a low
station in life; and when offered the post of wazir Minister. in the beginning of 1849,
he declined the more ambitious title of prime minister, and adopted the
humbler designation of commander-in-chief. On assuming charge of
his new duties, he found the administration in the utmost disorder, and that
every evil was aggravated by the insurrection in Khurasan; but he
laboured hard, in the teeth of every difficulty, to check the bribery and
corruption which are inherent in Persian officials, to reform the army, and
to restore the finances of the state. His predecessor, Hajf MiTza Aghasf,
had granted pensions and donations with a lavish hand, without any
regard to the services rendered, and which could not possibly be paid; and
he had thrown the odium of non-payment upon the provincial governors,
who were secretly ordered not to meet the demand. At the same time,
colonels were drawing pay and receiving clothing for regiments which had
no existence; and the royal bodyguard, which had been increased on paper
to four thousand horsemen, was reduced on muster to three hundred men.
Mfrza Takf Khan, however, cut down the civil expenditure, and restored
the army without regard to any interests, save those of the state; and,
above all, he showed himself to be utterly inaccessible to bribery. This line
of conduct naturally excited great opposition, and especially that of the
queen-mother; but for some time he retained the unbounded confidence of
the Shah. Indeed, the Shah not only refused to listen to any complaints,
but gave his only sister in marriage to his trusted minister. The minister,
in return, upheld the authority of the Shah against all aggression or inter
ference, whether from the foreign representatives at Tihran, or the priestly
arrogance of the mullas.
At length, however, the enemies of the minister succeeded in gaining
the ears of the Shah. They represented his virtues and successes as so
many crimes; and the young Shah at last gave ear to the numerous warnings
he received, that Mfrza Takf Khan was aiming at the possession of the
throne. Accordingly, in November 1851, Mfrza Takf Khan was informed