'Persia and the Persian Question by the Hon. George Nathaniel Curzon, M.P.' [‎587] (654/714)

THE ARMY
587
wards Persia at this time, and of the superb indifference displayed
bv both to British interests in Central Asia, that the proposal
fell through owing to a petty squabble as to the share ot
7 eSr d t ] ie expense to be borne by the Indian and Persian ex-
ftr chequers. 1 Once again, in the year 1870, the request was
officers 1 renewed; but the criminal reign of masterly inactivity
beino- then in its prime, it was again refused, the plea for rejection
beincr the charge that Persia was engaged in hostilities against
British allies in the shape of Afghanistan and Beluchistan. As late
as 1874, Sir H. Rawlinson still recommended ' an experimental con
tingent force of 10,000 men raised, armed, fed, paid, clothed, disci
plined, and commanded by British officers;' but his voice was as
that of one crying in the wilderness, and the demand is one that,
so far as we can judge, is not likely to be immediately renewed,
and might now be attended with difficulties that would not have
been encountered at an earlier juncture. Aain though the experi
ment of a regular army may have been in the earlier years of the
century, the presence of British officers with the Persian troops
could not fail to have been attended with salutary political conse
quences ; whilst there are districts in Persia where their labours,
if energetically supported, might have resulted in an invaluable
addition to the defensive strength of the kingdom. ^
On the occasion of his second visit to Europe in 1878, the Shah
was particularly impressed with the reception accorded to him, and
8. Austrian with the sights arranged for his edification, m Vienna;
officers anc [ ^ ie resu lt of this satisfaction was an arrangement
by which a large staff of Austrian civil and military officials
was again placed at his disposal for a period of tluet \tais, in
order to reorganise both branches ot the Persian public stivice.
Eleven officers, including a colonel, a major, three captamt>, anc
five lieutenants, arrived in Teheran in January 1879 , and the
scheme propounded for their employment was the foimation ot
seven battalions of 800 each, or a total force of 5.600 men,
iu the province of Irak, Sultanabad being the oiganising head
quarters, and a year being allowed, at the end of which time the
troops were to be presented in spick-and-span oidei to the Shah.
1 Even at this late period the names of one or two Englishmen still filmed
the Persian Army List. Abont the year 18G0, Colonel Dolinage, formerly a sur^eo
was superintendent of the arsenal and powder-mill at Meshed, ant a ajor
Young was also in the Persian service.