'Military report on Tehran and adjacent Provinces of North-West Persia (including the Caspian Littoral)' [‎14r] (32/610)

- Certain innovations, however, which originated during the
latter half of his reign and were carried further by his suc
cessor, started the popular discontent, which developed into
the ‘constitutional’ movement.
These innovations were:—
1 The Shah's journeys 1 to Europe in 1873, 1878 and 1889,
which [were a novel drain on the financial resources of the
kingdom.
2. The granting of concessions to foreigners.—In 1872 the
Shah promised a concession to Baron de Reuter for a 70
years’ monopoly for railways, tramways, roads, telegraphs and
all public works, mines except for precious metals, the farming
of the 'Customs for 25 years and the foundation of a national
bank. Owing, however, to the opposition aroused to a concession
of such magnitude, among the Persians, owing to the power
it conferred on foreigners, and among Russians from jea
lousy, it was rescinded and the scramble for concessions was
postponed until 1888.
The most noteworthy were a concession in 1888 to Messrs-
Lynch for opening the Karun to navigation, a lottery 2 concession
in 1889, a concession in 1889 to Baron de Reuter for foundation
of the Imperial Bank of Persia and for mineral rights m Persia,
a concession to Russia in 1889 for a road from Gilan to Tehran
and an undertaking to give her the refusal of any railway
construction in Persia for 10 years, a concession in 1890 ioi a
“Tobacco regie” with “full control over the production, sale
and export of all tobacco in Persia ”. This “ Tobacco regie
aroused intense opposition in which the clergy partic ipated, an
lodge, which caused his second expulsion but £1872 he heca^
in London. He started publication of the ^ w q , uarrcl Wlth the
Amln-us-Sultan about the lottery Concession (see not ® 2 ^ e t the son 0 f
Siivid Tamal-ud-din according to the usually received account, the son o
a village Saiyid of the Hamadan district, had attained prominence as an^autho^
and thinker, became an adviser of Nasir-ud-Dm Shah and there y
jealousy of the Amln-us-Sultan, who caused his exile.
J He was brought back to Persia by Kasir-ud-Lm m s hrin'e of
preach revolutionary ideas. To escape a r r ^. t,h ® LSioS
Shah Abdul Azim, whence he denounced the Shah and urged deposit 10 .
He was again deported and joined Malkom Khan in London and with himhecame
ioint editor of the ‘ Qantin His doctrines were the unity of Islam, the checking
of European encroachment on Muhammadan states, and enmity to Oriental ru.e »
wh0 i No^revkms" Shah had ever left Persia. The.stability of his throne due
to Russian and British influence enabled Nasir-ud-Dm to go abroad without fear
° f *Ihfe^onSon^gran^d by hSud-Din to Malkoim Khan (see above)
the Person Ster in London, and sold by him to an English Company. The
concession was quashed owing to the opposition of the Muhammadan clergy to it
as a tom of gambling and so contrary to the Quran. Its cancellation caused
acrimony 1 between tfuf Grand Vizir Amin-us-Sultan and Malkom Khan, and led
to the latter’s hostility of the Shah.