"بلاد فارس." [و‎‎١‎١] (٤٨/٢٦)

Nasr-ullah was duly reported to the Consul, but after some enquiry and
explanation, the conclusion was that if he was to be handed over to the Persian
authorities for punishment, 1 must pay for it!! Nasr-uilah went his way with
the 50 krans advance which was not very much. He was going to stay in
Teheran.
Persian law is divided into two parts. The Shahr, based on the Koran and
enforced by the priests, generally takes cognisance of civil cases and the
Urf, or oral law administered by secular judges, deals with criminal cases.
The temporary marriage is an institution peculiar to Persia and four condi
tions are indispensable, vis., the contract, which must he drawn up before a
priest ; the personal conditions wherein the woman shall profess one of the four
revealed religions—Islamism, Judaism, Christianity or Magianism; the dowry,
of which the husband must pay half if he dismisses the wife before consum
mation, and after consummation the whole; the period for which the marriage
may be contracted whether for part of a day, for 90 years or even an antedate,
must be written in the contract. One of the fundamental principles of
Persian law is the lex talionis ov law of retaliation, the injured party not
only being entitled to punish the offender himself, but to demand the penalty.
One of the most objectionable features is that which allows the penalty,
when of a physical nature, to be applied by the injured party (Benjamin,
438-456).
The obstacles to progress in Persia are said to be its State religion where
Government and the law are subject to official direction by the clergy to
official corruption and to the rivalry between England and Russia. Mr.
Benjamin, who established the United States legation at Teheran, considers
that there is no question u that British prestige in the East has weakened
very greatly and perhaps irretrievably during the last decade,” and he states
that “ the Persians cordially hate both England and Russia.” He also adds
“ politically, the Shah and many of the most intelligent Persians are secretly in
sympathy with England because she is inclined to leave Persia alone, and they
are violently opposed to Russia because her designs for the conquest of their
country are evident and sure.”
Mons. Orsolle, pp. 273-276, reports a conversation he had in 1884 at
Teheran with Iskander Beg, on Afghanistan and its future, to the following
effect, viz. As Afghanistan commands the routes leading from Central Asia
to British India, it was necessary for her to choose between two such power
ful rivals as the actual possessors and the future invaders of India. Russia
entered upon the scene in 1837 in command of the Persian Army, first to be
siege Herat, and then to absorb Afghanistan up to the Indian frontier. This
caused England to interfere in Afghan quarrels by the replacement of Shah
Soojah—thereon followed theCabul massacre, and the final advance of Pollock.
Since that period Russia and England have sought for an alliance with Afghan
istan. Russia, again, in 1856 persuaded Persia to seize Herat; thereon England
invaded Persia. By this act England secured the sympathy of Afghanistan
but failed to profit by it. In 1869 Shir Ali, alarmed when Russia took Tash-
kend, Khodjend, and Samarcand, sought assistance from Lord Mayo at
Umballa, which was not granted. In 1873, after Khiva had been taken, after
Lord Northbrook refused assistance and after the Seistan award in favor of
Persia, Shir Ali took the side of the strongest—and although the war of 1879
was fatal to Afghanistan, the retreat of the English shews how little they trust
ed in a decisive victory. Each day Russia advances, and England dares not
stop her. “ We also have our revenge to take against England. Her prestige
in Central Asia is completely gone; all the world knows that Russia causes
England to tremble, and when the Czar shall send Ids armies to conquer India
the whole of Afghanistan will help Russia. She will conquer, and England
will have to withdraw. ” Iskander Beg then continues, that Afghanistan is poor
and Russia will ask for no tribute—that Russian rule will end all strife and
benefit the country—and in return Afghanistan will furnish, as she has already
done, troops for Russian service.
The simplest reply to all this long tirade rests in the fact that Afghanistan
is not of one mind, and that the disaffected will always go against their ruler.
It is by no means certain that the Afghan nation as a whole would quietly