interests, and which involve no possible difference or advantage to England, he has broken off his relations with the Persian Government. There are thus no means left us for explaining the circumstances except by sending the entire correspondence between the Persian Government and Mr. Murray to Meerza Ahmed Khan, for communication to your Excellency. That Mr. Murray, unacquainted as he is with the practices and tenets of this country, solely influenced by a desire to satisfy the people about him, and carrying out their interested objects, should have so easily disregarded a friendship of so many years' duration, has caused the most profound regret to the Persian Government; yet I derive consolation from 2 circumstances the one being the judgment and clear-sightedness of the British Government, and their appreciation of the nature and extent of that friendship which it has for so many years been the endeavour of both parties to cherish; the other is based upon the justice of your Excellency and your efficacious and powerful goodwill, which I specially invoke, under present circumstances, in order most effectually to counterbalance the recent conduct of British Agents, by an appeal to a statesman of such distinguished reputation. I am convinced that the British Government, appreciating as it does the maintenance of mutual friendship, will not confirm the propositions in question, which, besides their casting slight and discredit on Persia, are without doubt of such a nature that she cannot enter. tain them; and that you, who have rendered your justice, integrity, and goodwill so universally celebrated, will not in any way approve of such a proceeding as that the friendly relations of the 2 countries should in this manner be neglected and thrown back without cause. Lord Stratford de Redcliffe. (Seal of the Meerza Agha Khan.)

Translation of a Note accompanying the above Letter. After Compliments, 20 Rebiul-evvel, 1272. WITH reference to the lady in question, to Mr. Murray's business, and to his unjustifiable termination of our relations, I shall appear upon due reflection to have performed a great service, and evinced strong proof of goodwill towards the 2 countries. Meerza Ahmed Khan will inform your Excellency of all the particulars, and will place in your hands the originals of documents issuing from the most noted Ulemah of the capital. You will know what a serious affair took place here in the time of his deceased Majesty, Fatteh Ali Shah, about a Georgian girl; and also how vigilant an attention I have paid to the safety of the British Mission in an affair as serious as the present one, when the honour of the Sovereign is in question, when all the Ulemahs have come forward in writing, and when the city populace have risen in tumult. For the

particulars, I beg again to refer you to the statements of Meerza Ahmed Khan. Further I will not trouble you.

No. 56.-Mr. Murray to the Earl of Clarendon.-(Rec. Jan. 22, 1856.) (Extract.) Tehran, November 28, 1855. I HAVE the honour to inclose, for your Lordship's information, copies of the correspondence that has taken place respecting the case of Meerza Hashem Khan, and the suspension of diplomatic relations, from which your Lordship will see that the Persian Ministers having dragged the Shah personally into the arena of discussion, the rupture has been thereby widened, and an amicable solution rendered more difficult.

His Majesty's first autograph letter (Inclosure No. 3) contained some expressions respecting Mr. Consul Stevens, in reply to which, in my letter (Inclosure No. 5), I animadverted with some severity on the conduct of His Majesty's Minister. The Shah, in his second autograph letter (Inclosure No. 8), omits all the customary forms of courtesy employed here in speaking of a foreign Minister, and speaks of me as "Mr. Murray." He complains of my recommencing correspondence while my flag is struck, forgetting that he had been the cause of it by writing a long letter himself, and causing his foreign Minister to write another, after I had suspended diplomatic relations: be orders my last despatch to be sent back, and in the body of his letter he endorses and sanctions the offensive calumnies previously propagated by his Minister, in writing those words quoted in the inclosure," Mr. Murray's object is this, forcibly to take (or carry off) the sister of my wife." My last reply to His Majesty's letter (Inclosure No. 9) was refused admission, and brought back by my messenger, who succeeded, however, on the following morning in placing it in the Foreign Minister's hands.

On the morning of the 23rd, the Sadr Azim's confidant (Meer Alee Nekkee Khan), called on me about 10. He told me that three hours previously he had seen the Sadr, and had found him in very low spirits, and that his Highness had said to him that he must put an end to this unpleasant difference, and that he should call on me in the course of the day and make the required reparation. The fact of his having that intention must have been known at the palace, for the Ferrashes who accompanied Meer Alee Nekkee Khan told my servants that the Sadr was coming down to pay me a visit. He did not come, however.

The Sadr Azim gives out that he has sent to Europe (probably thereby meaning to London and Paris) such complaints and charges. against myself, and also against Mr. Consul Stevens, as cannot fail to bring both to disgrace. I am not the least afraid of what his Highness can write to any quarter where calumny is despised and

falsehood easily detected. Your Lordship will, unless some of my despatches miscarry, have before you the whole correspondence that has passed on this subject; you will see the affronts offered to the Mission; the insults and calumnies directed against myself; the infructuous pains that I took to accommodate matters before striking my flag; and if I am not mistaken in the sentiments of your Lordship and Her Majesty's Government, I should have deservedly been recalled from this post, had I failed in resenting as I have done the illegal proceedings and offensive language of the Persian Govern

ment.

The Earl of Clarendon.

CH. A. MURRAY.

(Inclosure 1.)-Mr. Murray to the Persian Minister for Foreign

EXCELLENCY,

Affairs.

November 20, 1855. THE conduct of the Persian Government having rendered (necessary) the lowering of the flag of this Mission, and the interruption of diplomatic relations between the 2 countries, according to the contents of my despatch written to the Sadr Azim on Saturday last, and to the verbal messages conveyed to his Highness yesterday, I beg to inform your Excellency that it is my intention to withdraw the British Mission to the Turkish territory; and I shall be obliged if the Persian Government will designate a Mehmandar to accompany me to the Persian frontier, as soon as my preparations for departure are completed. I beg also to inform your Excellency that during the absence of the Mission, Her Britannic Majesty's Consul will remain at Tehran, and all the affairs and claims of British subjects, or persons enjoying British protection, will be placed under his charge.

CH. A. MURRAY.

(Inclosure 2.)-The Persian Minister for Foreign Affairs to Mr. Murray.

(Translation.)

November 23, 1855. AFTER all the expressions of friendship of the Persian Ministers, and after all their endeavours to maintain the friendly relations between Persia and England, your Excellency has, contrary to my hopes, broken off diplomatic relations and asked for a Mehmandar. It is with regret that I have to state, in reply, that as the Persian Ministers have submitted as far as is in their power to your Excellency's propositions, which are unjust, and have evinced moderation, and as you, notwithstanding this, have persisted in suspending relations, the Persian Ministers are compelled to nominate Hadec Khan, Colonel, to be your Mehmandar.

By the Shah's command, copies of the correspondence which has passed between the Persian Ministers and your Excellency on this subject will be specially forwarded direct, with a statement of the true reason for this discussion, which they have already promised to advance, showing the facts and the true state of the case, to the Ministers of the British Government, and moreover, the Ministers of foreign Governments who reside in Tehran will be informed of the circumstances. The case will be submitted to the sense of justice of the British Ministers.

With regard to what you have written, that it is your intention to instruct the British Consul to remain in Tehran during the absence of the Mission to take charge of the commercial affairs of English subjects, I beg, with the greatest respect, to state that, on account of the proceedings and position of Mr. Stevens, and the expectations which they entertain from a person of his disposition, the Persian Ministers do not consider it expedient that he should remain in Tehran, and they believe it to be at variance with the interests of both countries that he should do so. Your Excellency is therefore at liberty to place any officer you may deem it advisable, with the exception of Mr. Stevens.

C. A. Murray, Esq.

P.S.-His Majesty the Shah has done me the honour to address to me an autograph, respecting your request for a Mehmandar, and I am directed to transmit to you herewith a copy of that note.

(Inclosure 3.)—Autograph Note from the Shah to the Persian

Minister for Foreign Affairs.

(Translation.)

MINISTER FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS,

November 22, 1855.

I HAVE seen the British Minister's letter, and I am aware of his intention to leave, and of his request for a Mehmandar. Indeed,

British Minister here are those which we see, it is for the benefit of both Governments that he should quarrel and depart. Whenever I

contrast my own

sincerity to the British Government, and the

expectations which I entertain at heart from their friendship with the conduct of the Mission, I am drowned in a sea of amazement. Do you suppose that the Mission of such a great Government resides in Tehran merely to cause every day some new detriment to the dignity and reputation of our Government? It is always the protector of the perverse and obstinate, and of the simpletons of our household, who, without being injured in the least, are invited to the Mission with the temptation of increase of pay and position. They are ever desirous to humiliate this Government, and they

interfere in the internal affairs of this country in such a way that the rights of the guest now exceed those of the master and host. According to Treaty, we possess the right to demand the dismissal and withdrawal from office of foreign Consuls, in the event of our being dissatisfied with them. They do not respect our wishes in regard to a person like Meerza Hashem Khan, a servant in the Government pay and one of our subjects, and in their opposition to us they forget their own dignity and that of their Government. Meerzas out of employment were not so scarce in Tehran that they should, for Meerza Hashem, a servant in our pay, make us and themselves the subject of discussion amongst strangers and natives.

With regard to what he has written, that he will leave a Consul here, if by Consul he means Mr. Stevens, whose proceedings and mischief-making, while living in Tabreez, would fill 10 books, and whose proceedings here are just what you now see-when Mr. Murray, as Minister Plenipotentiary, has become the cause of coolness and misunderstanding in this way between the 2 Governments, what are we to expect, and what confidence can we have in a person like Mr. Stevens, notorious for his mischief-making. If the British Minister goes, let him take with him Mr. Stevens; let him place some one else in his place. Send a copy of this autograph in answer to the Minister's letter, and prepare the details of his conduct for the information of the British Ministers, together with the real truth of the question. If the British Minister desires the humiliation of this Government, of course we, so long as we have the power, will not submit to any indignity.

P.S.-The propositions of the British Minister are such as cannot be agreed to, and whoever is a true servant of ours will not submit to these conditions. Send a copy of this to the British Minister, and copies of the others to the foreign Ministers resident here, who, in perfect justice, will coincide with us.

(Inclosure 4.)-Mr. Murray to the Persian Minister for Foreign

Affairs.

November 24, 1855.

I BEG to acknowledge your Excellency's despatch of yesterday's date, informing me that the Persian Government have appointed Hadee Khan, Colonel, to be my Mehmandar, on the withdrawal of this Mission from Tehran; a step to which I have been compelled by the offensive conduct of the Persian Government in imprisoning a person under the protection of this Mission contrary to the laws of nations, and also to the laws of Persia, and afterwards writing me the most offensive despatch ever addressed to a foreign Minister.