'Persia and the Persian Question by the Hon. George Nathaniel Curzon, M.P.' [‎335] (382/714)

TEHERAN 33,
six Legations—those of Great Britain, Russia, France, Germany
Austria, and Italy. A Belgian Minister Resident was also expected
at the time of my visit, and a Dutch Charge-d'AfFaires had been
appointed by his Government. America sent a Minister Resident
or t le first time m 1883. Most of these diplomats possess comfort
able residences situated in large and well-shaded compounds, similar
though inferior, to that belonging to the British Minister. I could
not ascertain that, with the exception of the British and Russian
Ministers and the Turkish Ambassador, they have much, if any
thing at all, to do; and, to the majority of their number I should
imagine that the post offers itself either as an honourable exile or
as an interesting repose.
Teheran has been much abused as a capital. It has been
attacked for having no river—which is true, although of such
Advan- Persian cities as are better endowed in that respect it
dSvTn d must ^ e Said that ' durin g four-fifths of the year, the river
coital 8 18 8 more tliai1 a streamlet. Lady Sheil went so
capi a ^ ^ far as to declare that, as a capital, it had nothing what
ever m its favour. I do not agree with these opinions. Looking
at the question mainly from a political point of view, I am disposed
to think that Teheran is about the best capital that Persia could
produce, and that Agha Mohammed Shah showed to the full his
statesmanlike foresight in selecting it as his seat of government.
The objections to the present site are mainly advanced on sanitary
grounds. The water supply is indubitably meagre and costly, an
attempt to divert the River Karij to the city having been abandoned, 1
and the entire needs of the population being dependent upon icanats
dug from the Elburz. Situated, moreover, in the hollow of the
plain, it is said that the infiltration of the surrounding moisture
causes malarial fevers, which have already produced an increase in
the recorded cases of typhoid. It is further said that the drainage
is atrocious, which is probably true of all Persian towns. At
Teheran the system adopted has one advantage, which, if not con
ducive to health, is, at any rate, less obnoxious to the senses than
the paraded abomination of other Eastern cities. Each house is
This attempt was made by Haji Mirza Aghassi, the eccentric minister of
i ohammed Shah, who had a passion for public works, and it was successfully
executed.^ Upon his commencing a similar experiment with the Jajrud on the
Eastern side, the complaints of the villagers of Veramin at the loss of their water
supp y caused the works to be abandoned; as also were those of the Karii after
the fall of the Haji. J '