'Persia and the Persian Question by the Hon. George Nathaniel Curzon, M.P.' [‎599] (666/714)

THE ARMY
599
to be received ; when not on active service the last alone, not, how
ever entirely in cash, 30 out of the 80 Itrans being so paid, and
Pay and the equivalent of the remainder being supplied in two
rations Jcharvars of wheat. A deduction of 20 per cent, is also
uniformly made on the salaries of all officers from the rank of
major upwards :—
Rank
Private .
Corporal
Sergeant
Sergeant-Major
Ensign .
Second Lieutenant
i First Lieutenant .
Captain .
Adjutant
Standard Bearer .
Second Major
First Major .
Colonel (Serhang) .
3rd Class Sertip
2nd Class Sertip .
1st Class Sertip
Military pay
Rations
Home pay
Krans
Krans
Krans
70
90
80
80
90
80
90
90
80
"190
138
80
190
126
80
190
126
80
280
126
80
I 580
l
540
80
J
1,000
1,140
80
1,200
1,140
80
4,000
1,860
0
7,500
3,000
0
9,000
3,960
0
12,000
6,000
0
Outside the capital the Persian soldier is seldom seen in a com
plete uniform. 1 Articles of private clothing fill the gaps left by the
inadequate ov absent official garb, the ordinary unifoim
Uni o regiments of the line is a tunic of coarse blue seige,
with a brown leather belt, trousers of the same, and a shako ot
black lambskin with a brass badge in front; but it is laie to find
a soldier who possesses the entire equipment. Theoretically, every
private is supposed to receive two suits ot cotton, one suit ot cloth,
and two pairs of boots per annum; whilst, every two years, when
the regiment is disbanded, he is entitled to a bonus of six months-
pay to help him home. The former he seldom receives , the lattei
never. I have seen soldiers in many parts of the world, but rarely
have I seen such creditable specimens ot manhood so woefully
attired, or so dismally furnished.
1 The parti-coloured diversity of Persian uniforms is no new thing. Two and
a half centuries ago the Factors of the East India Company at Isfahan wrote as
follows to the Directors; 'The King (Shah Abbas) has deterraine o is n u
2,000 cloths (pieces) to his soldiers, who are to the number of 35,000 m yearly
pay. The colour should be hare colour, deer colour, popinjay, peaci, rims on ,
red, green, and such-like light colours:— Calendar of State Papers (East Indi ),
vol. iii. No. 577.