But now, with reference to the mat and what you have written that wher some time previously, that person was Persian Government nor had he receiv tended that Meerza Hashem Khan red Mission. When he refuses to obey a residence in the Mission-house, it is p not be sent to the Mission as an offe were not issued, as you suppose, nor Army List for the purpose of keepin Mission. Before he went to the Mis drawn out by the Chief of the Depar he used to go himself and have them but after his entering the Mission, the ing, however, in the hands of the Chi was not there to receive them and intention had been to keep up the dis easy it would have been to have had being in the military department is a and his position, as an officer, preclud procuring a substitute. Even this i after he has entered the army, and hi can possibly place another in his stea can any parallel be drawn between pish-khidmet* or any other servant. private apartments of the late Shal panied the present Shah when he w wards, when the Shah ascended the t time, but was placed, at his own de Holding this post he fled to the Mi and has remained there ever since. are free born and are of respectab suffice for their maintenance, or wh required from them, not being allowe employment elsewhere, and your d case, there is no difference between t that the position of a subject and se master, has, in many respects, a ver slave; and no one, in the face of the himself any liberty of action. It is permitting all those who are dissa pay to resign and seek service els pline in this country would be at an annually only 7 or 8 tomauns pay

* Upper #

But now, with reference to the matter of Meerza Hashem Khan
what you have written that when you came to Persia and
time previously, that person was neither in the service of the
ian Government nor had he received a 1d. of pay. I never pre
ed that Meerza Hashem Khan received pay while he was in
ion. When he refuses to obey and to serve, and takes up
ence in the Mission-house, it is perfectly clear that his pay
be sent to the Mission as an offering to him. His salary b
not issued, as you suppose, nor was his name inserted in t
- List for the purpose of keeping up the discussion with
on. Before he went to the Mission, every year his bills wer
out by the Chief of the Department and given to him, s
ed to go himself and have them registered and then caste
ter his entering the Mission, the bills were still issued, res
Owever, in the hands of the Chief, as Meerza Hashem K
ot there to receive them and get them registered. If
on had been to keep up the discussion with the Mission,
would have been to have had his bills registered also. E
n the military department is a thing well known to every
position, as an officer, precludes him from paying money
ng a substitute. Even this is unfounded, for no serba
e has entered the army, and his name is enrolled in the lis
sibly place another in his stead and leave the regiment,
parallel be drawn between Meerza Hashem Khan and
Edmet* or any other servant. When a child, he was in
apartments of the late Shah's establishment, and acts
the present Shah when he went to Tabreez. He was afte
when the Shah ascended the throne, a pish-khidmet for
t was placed, at his own desire in the War Depart

this post he fled to the Mission and took sanctuary the
With regard to Persians

remained there ever since.

born and are of respectable family, whose pay does r their maintenance, or who are not equal to the dut from them, not being allowed to resign the service and s nt elsewhere, and your observation that, if such is e is no difference between them and a slave, I have to st position of a subject and servant of the Shah towards as, in many respects, a very great resemblance to that d

can assume

no one, in the face of the Shah's wishes, y liberty of action. It is clear that if a law is establis all those who are dissatisfied with the amount of gn and seek service elsewhere, in a short time all is country would be at an end; and a soldier who rece nly 7 or 8 tomauns pay, where he to receive from

* Upper servant,

GREAT

Mission 12 or 14, and we

other officers, Mustoofees,
or less, from 500 to 1,000

or half as much again, it v
to find itself without a si
would soon swell to the
Government would never h
ceeding. If Meerza Hashe

pay, and it were refused, The Persian Ministers did n increase of pay, and they th going to the Mission and gi have devoted his time to t worthy of higher pay and that I had said to Meerza be raised, and that he might that he had considered this e salary would not be increase petition his master, the Shah considered as a dismissal. 1 respectable family like him, w his services are dispensed wit given, and his dismissal is issu I had considered this person in Mr. Thomson, or afterwards to duties, require some remarks case that I had no discussion Mr. Thomson several times wis the Mission to me, that I migh cede for him with the Shah; bu that if he came to me, withou would overlook the past, and tr the same manner as the Persian to a number of persons, among janee, to Koocheek Khan, and I out reason into the sanctuary of out the intervention of the Mi affair of Meerza Hashem Kh Mr. Thomson and myself; and I been again brought forward, and Secondly, as the Persian Minist whenever they advance claims wh no impression, and they are not own pretensions, right or wrong,

• Accountants

the matter with the eyes of justice; a into discussions and disputes, for these much as possible from commencing alt If this had not been the case, a disc menced by me regarding Meerza Hassa and has no reason whatever for remain respect for the Mission, Meerza Hashe remain in the Mission-house, are not the weakness of this Government in th

You also state that when you came Hashem Khan in the Mission, where that you were as much justified in eng British Government as you would ha the services of any other Meerza or have already mentioned that this perso who has disobeyed orders, and is a and your Excellency has no right on a this Government in the pay of the right to employ any servant who is n who is himself desirous to serve in any which may be necessary, and such a such employment.

Be this as it may, if your Excel arguments of the Persian Ministers, s from Tehran to any place whatsoever I state to your Excellency distinct Majesty the Shah, he will be seized which may arise from this will rest he should himself leave the Missi Koocheek Khan, and Hoossein K reason took sanctuary in the Mission the intervention of the Mission, an he also will be kindly treated. C. A. Murray, Esq.

I HAVE received your Highness's and it requires a very brief reply, advanced has been already answered point to which it is necessary to call y is the fact and the manner of Meerz the Persian service. Your Highnes Meerza Hashem Khan solicited a that his salary would not be increa

matter with the eyes of justice; and as I am unwilling to ente
discussions and disputes, for these reasons, I refrain always s
as possible from commencing altercations of this descripti
is had not been the case, a discussion would have been co
-ed by me regarding Meerza Hassan, who is now in the Missing
as no reason whatever for remaining there. Thirdly, if out
et for the Mission, Meerza Hashem Khan or others, while the
n in the Mission-house, are not molested, it is no evidence
eakness of this Government in the control of their servants.
u also state that when you came to Tehran, you found Meeru
m Khan in the Mission, where he has resided for a year,
ou were as much justified in engaging him as a servant of t
Government as you would have been at liberty to eng
rvices of any other Meerza or Persian subject in Tehran
lready mentioned that this person is in the position of a
as disobeyed orders, and is a refugee in the Mission-he
ur Excellency has no right on any plea to engage a servant
overnment in the pay of the Shah. But, yes, you hare
employ any servant who is not a Government servant,
himself desirous to serve in any ordinary post in the Miss
may be necessary, and such a person has a right to sc
ployment.

j

this as it may, if your Excellency notwithstanding the nts of the Persian Ministers, should still dispatch this pers hran to any place whatsoever in the service of the Missi to your Excellency distinctly that, by the orders of E the Shah, he will be seized, and any grave consequen ay arise from this will rest with your Excellency. But ld himself leave the Mission like Abbas Koolee Kh k Khan, and Hoossein Khan, and others, who with ok sanctuary in the Mission, and afterwards left it with -vention of the Mission, and were treated with kindre ill be kindly treated. rray, Esq.

SADR AZI

November 14, 1

(Inclosure 7.)—Mr. Murray to the Sadr Azim. received your Highness's letter of the 11th of Nore uires a very brief reply, as all that your Highness has been already answered in my last despatch. The ich it is necessary to call your Highness's special attent and the manner of Meerza Hashem Khan's dismissal fre = service. Your Highness states in your letter that ashem Khan solicited an increase of pay, you

told

ary would not be increased at "present," and "tha

GREAT

might go and petition his
your Highness that these
use of until they were writ
answer, as delivered to the
was that his pay would not
go about his business and
from a Prime Minister in
amounts to a dismissal, or
service elsewhere, and the M
did no more than obey your
states, it was out of your po
the Shah's commands, it is
either with or without His M
with that permission, then t
you used them without that
breach of the rules of the P

rests with your Highness to s

But, as I said before, thos
were considered by the Meer
from the public service, and to
so considered by this Mission
and consequently the Meerza
Your Highness writes, indeed,
in the Military Department,
never held any military post
Highness has written a great
offers of high pay, taking away
public service; if these words
should suppose your Highness
this Mission has never taken no
the Persian service, and that
certain number, which we neith

I return therefore to the pri
which is to renew to your High
ment that Meerza Hashem K
service of this Mission, and by t
Government, I shall employ him.
service of the Mission may requi
seize or molest him in the dischar
of such a proceeding, which will
employé of the Mission, are well
H.E. The Sadr Azim.

missaires et les résolutions prises au sujet de l'Ile des Serpents et du Delta du Danube.

HUBNER.

WALEWSKI.

COWLEY.

HATZFELDT.

BRUNNOW.

VILLAMARINA.

MEHEMMED DJEMIL.

CORRESPONDENCE between Great Britain and Persia,

respecting the Appointment of Meerza Hashem Khan to be British Agent at Shiraz; the Suspension of Diplomatic Relations between the two Countries; and the Proceedings of Persia in Herat.-1855-1857.*

[Continued from Vol. XLV. Page 642.]

No. 48.-Mr. Murray to the Earl of Clarendon.-(Rec. July 30.) (Extract.) Camp near Tehran, June 22, 1855. WITH reference to the correspondence noted in the margin, I have the honour to request your Lordship's attention to the case of Meerza Hashem Khan, who was, in the first instance, appointed First Persian Secretary to this Mission, and subsequently recommended for the office of British Agent at Shiraz; for both of which situations, Mr. W. T. Thomson has pronounced him highly qualified -an opinion in which I entirely concur.

The most reasonable argument against Meerza Hashem Khan being retained as First Secretary, was the fact of his family having for a long time been at enmity with that of the Sadr Azim, and that the Government did not wish him to be the medium of communication between his Highness and this Mission; but with regard to the second nomination, I am of opinion that the objection does not apply with equal force, first, because there seems to exist a personal dislike between the Prime Minister and Meerza Hashem Khan; and, secondly, because in this situation he is not in any way brought into contact with the Persian Government. Deeply compromised, as he certainly is, by his adherence to the British Mission, he has no wish to return to the Persian service. Another point I would bring to your Lordship's notice, is the principle of conceding to the Persian Government the right of questioning the appointments, the nature of the duties of which are thoroughly British, and for the proper conduct of which the agents are responsible to us alone.

Laid before Parliament, 1857.