"دليل بلاد فارس، المجلد I ويشمل محافظات أستراباد، شاهرود-بوستان، خراسان، وسيستان" [ظ‎‎٢‎٧‎٤] (٧٢٢/٥٥٥)

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of the Indian army were sent to carry on the work. Among the most dis
tinguished was Sir Henry Rawlinson. Muhammad Shah became jealous of
them, and they were dismissed. Soon after came French officers, who
entirely failed ; and they were succeeded by Italian, Hungarian, and Grer-
man refugees. The troops quite recently were being drilled in battalion,
without any previous squadron or company instruction, by independent
instructors and on various systems. Some years ago English officers
were again applied for ; but were not permitted to accept service. It is
known that the Shah has obtained the services of a number of Austrian
officers, whom some recent reports reduce to 5, and others assert to amount
to 13. Whatever their number, the fact is corroborated by circumstantial
evidence detailed later. The roads and bridges of Persia are under an
Austrian general; the arsenal, under an Armenian. The two principal
drill instructors at Tihran are Italians. According to recent reports, a
Russian colonel and other officers have appeared, in addition to the Aus
trian officers, to drill the irregular cavalry.
General and field officers are approved by the minister of war, and
their commissions bear the seal of the Shah. Company
Persian officers. officers are appointed by the minister of war nominally,
but in reality by the colonels, particularly when they possess political
influence. The officers of tubul regiments belong to the same tribe as the
men, who are usually their vassals or tenants.
Napier says that in the regiment of Maragha the officers were admitted
to be incapable of getting through an ordinary parade,
the lieutenant-colonel only having any sort of military
instruction. This officer had spent several years in Europe, and was for
two years at St. Cyr. This condition of a renowned regiment is typical of
the whole service. A few of the officers who belong to the Tihran camp
possess a slight knowledge of drilling and gun-practice ; but in general
the officers are ignorant, even of the words of command. The field officers
generally belong to wealthy families, and have some education; but most of
the company officers are stated to be unable to read or write.
There are no military colleges for grown-up officers. There is, however,
one for cadets ; but these cadets, when their education
Military colleges and en( j s are no ^ regularly retained or promoted,
schools. ’ & j x
Internal discipline may be said to have no existence in the Persian army.
Parade discipline does not extend beyond the knowledge
Their incapacity.
Want of
discipline.
internal
of how to get from column into line, and the reverse
At Tihran, where it may be supposed drill exists, if
anywhere, General Upton saw the poorest possible limitation of moderu tactics
—‘ mere noise and display/ There are, in fact, only 150 days* drill, even at
the capital, in the year, in addition to which each regiment is only on duty
for a year, and is then released on furlough on half-pay. In the provinces,
not only is there no attempt at regular parades, but some of the old-fashion
ed governors dislike and discourage European discipline. A detachment
from the garrison at Mashhad was found to be “ even more ragged than
their head-quarters,^ with little trace of European discipline left, having
been without relief and without pay or clothing for six months.
In the arsenals at Tihran and Tabriz 20,000 suits of clothing and a supply
Anns and material, mus kets are kept on hand, consisting of 10,000
chassepots, 10,000 tabatieres bought from the Germans,