'Volume I. MEMORANDA REGARDING PERSIA AND NORTH-WEST TRANS-FRONTIER. 1905.' [‎9v] (23/310)

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open. A scheme for its repair and for the better
payment of its staff has been submitted by
the Ala-ul-Mulk, recently Governor-General
of Kerman and Ambassador of Constanti
nople, who has replaced the Nayer-ul-Mulk
as Minister of Education. His proposals,
however, provide for an annual expenditure of
92,000 tomans 10,000 Persian dinars, or a gold coin of that value. , and, although he has actually
received 1,000 tomans 10,000 Persian dinars, or a gold coin of that value. to carry out repairs, the
present low state of the Treasury makes it
likely that the reforms will fall through.
12. The Persian Government have
decided to impose on foreigners a cart
and carriage tax similar to that which has
hitherto been paid by Persian subjects. His
Majesty’s Minister has accepted the right of
the Persian Government to impose this tax
excepting on vehicles plying on the Tehran-
Kum-Sultanabad, and eventually the Kum-
Isfahan and the Ahwaz-Sultanabad roads, or
on roads, such as that from Ahwaz to Isfahan,
in which British are jointly interested with
^ Persian subjects. In so doing he followed the
example of the Bussian Legation who have
made a formal exception of roads for which a
concession has been granted to Russian subjects.
13. The Sipah Salar (whose illness has
been referred to in the Journals for October,
paragraph 2, and November, paragraph 1)
was pronounced early in January to be dying.
His exit from the political arena comes
at an awkward moment for the Ain-ed-
Howleh, who intended him to be regent during
his absence with the Shah in Europe. In
the meantime, it is understood to be settled
that the army will be divided into ten corps,
each under a Sardar Leader of a tribe or a polity; also refers to a military rank or title given to a commander of an army or division. , with the bodyguard
separate under Amir Bahadur Jang as at
present. The whole is to come under the
immediate supervision of the Prime Minister.
14. Besht. —The attitude of the native
and Armenian population of the Ghilan
province towards Russians is a significant
sequel to the reverses to Russian arms in
Manchuria. The diminution of Russian
prestige is general throughout Persia, but is
more strikingly displayed in the Caspian
provinces, where the inhabitants were formerly
more subservient to Russian influence, than
elsewhere. At present an open delight is
expressed at the results of the war which takes
its form in petty insults to the Russian and
pro-Russian community.
15. Hamadan. —The Yamin-es-Sultan has
been appointed Governor of Hamadan in the
place of the Salar-es-Saltaneh, recalled to
Tehran.
16. Luristan .—Lieutenant Williams,
I.M.S., who is in charge of His Majesty’s
Consulate at Kermanshah during Captain