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the whole of the correspondence between Her Majesty's Mission and the Persian Government, in regard to the appointment of Meerza Hashem, should be mutually withdrawn and be cancelled; but Her Majesty's Government will expect and require that when the British flag is again hoisted over the residence of the British Mission, the reconciliation which will have been effected between the two Governments shall be made known to the inhabitants of Tehran by a salute of 21 guns, to be fired in honour of the British flag. The Sadr Azim must also immediately afterwards pay a visit of ceremony to Her Majesty's Minister, who would return that visit the next day.

Your Excellency will communicate to the Persian Chargé d'Af faires, for the information of his Government, the observations contained in this despatch.

H.E. Lord Stratford de Redcliffe.

CLARENDON.

No. 78.-The Earl of Clarendon to Lord Stratford de Redcliffe. (Extract.) Foreign Office, May 15, 1856. It is right that I should state to your Excellency what amount of satisfaction Her Majesty's Government would consider to be. sufficient to admit of their allowing Mr. Murray to return to Tehran. Her Majesty's Government are, upon the whole, of opinion that they might, without impropriety, accept, as regards the Prime. Minister's conduct, a proposal embodying the following conditions: That the Sadr Azim should write a letter to Mr. Murray, expressing his regret at having uttered and given currency to the offensive inputation upon the honour of Her Majesty's Minister, and requesting to withdraw his own letter of the 19th of November, and the two letters of the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the 26th of November, one of which contains a rescript from the Shah repeating the imputation upon Mr. Murray. That in the same letter the Sadr Azim should declare that no such further rescript from the Shah as that of which I enclose a copy, was communicated, directly or indirectly, to any of the other foreign Missions at Tehran; and that a copy of the Sadr Azim's letter, containing this apology and declaration, hould be officially communicated by the Sadr Azim to each of the foreign Missions at Tehran; that the original letter should be transmitted to Mr. Murray, at Bagdad, by the hands of some high Persian officer, and should be accompanied by an invitation to Mr Murray, in the name of the Shah, to return with the Mission to Tehran, another person of suitable rank being appointed to conduct him as Mehmandar on his journey through Persia. That Mr Murray, on approaching the Persian capital, should be received by prons of high rank deputed to escort him into the town and to his residence; and that, immediately on his arrival, or, at all events,

at noon on the following day, the Sadr Azim should go in state to the residence of the British Mission, and personally renew friendly relations, and should then accompany him to the presence of the Shah.

H.E. Lord Stratford de Redcliffe.

CLARENDON.

No. 79.-The Earl of Clarendon to Mr. Murray.

(Extract.) Foreign Office, May 15, 1856. HER Majesty's Persian Mission should proceed to Bagdad, and there await further orders, abstaining in the meanwhile from all communication, direct or indirect, with the Persian Government.

Her Majesty's Consuls will remain respectively at Tabreez and at Tehran; but Mr. Consul Stevens, at the latter place, will be enjoined to have no communication whatever, direct or indirect, with the Persian Government, on political matters; to hold himself aloof from Court solemnities or public representations; and to confine himself, in the strictest manner, within the limits of his Consular functions, laying before the Persian Government any cases in which British subjects may be aggrieved in their commercial pursuits, but not entering into any further discussion if the alleged grievance is not at once redressed; but in such case merely transmitting to the Persian Minister a formal protest against the wrong which may have been committed.

On your departure from the Persian territory, you will dismiss the Mehmandar who was appointed by the Persian Government to attend you.

C. A. Murray, Esq.

CLARENDON.

No. 80.-The Earl of Clarendon to Consul Stevens.

Foreign Office, May 15, 1856.

SIR, I HAVE to state to you that Her Majesty's Persian Mission has been directed to proceed to Bagdad, and there await further orders, abstaining in the meanwhile from all communication, direct or indirect, with the Persian Government.

You will, nevertheless, yourself remain at Tehran; but you will have no communication whatever, direct or indirect, with the Persian Government on political matters; and you will hold yourself aloof from Court solemnities or public representations, and confine yourself in the strictest manner within the limits of your Consular functions, laying before the Persian Government any cases in which British subjects may be aggrieved in their commercial pursuits, but not entering into any further discussion if the alleged grievance is not at once redressed; but in such case merely transmitting to the

Persian Minister a formal protest against the wrong which may have

been committed.

R. W. Stevens, Esq.

I am, &c.

CLARENDON.

No. 81.-Mr. Murray to the Earl of Clarendon.-(Rec. May 16.) MY LORD, Ooroomiah, March 22, 1856, I HAVE the honour to inclose, for your Lordship's information, copies of two despatches which I have received from Mr. Consul Stevens regarding Herat and the Persian movements in that quarter. I have, &c.

The Earl of Clarendon.

SIR.

CH. A. MURRAY.

(Inclosure 1.)-Consul Stevens to Mr. Murray.

Tehran, March 9, 1856, PREPARATIONS for the expedition against Candahar are continued here, but the Serkeshikcheebashee✶ has asked for and obtained permission to defer his departure until 15 days after the Noorooz, that is, about the 5th April. He is to be invested with the title of Mookhtar-ood-Dowleh, will be furnished with 100,000 tomauns from the money recently seized by the King at the house of his uncle, Essan Khan, and orders have been issued for preparing 1,000 medals and decorations which the Serkeshikcheebashee is to carry for distribution among the Affghans.

Gholaum Sedeek Khan is to accompany the expedition, and has received 3,000 tomauns for outfit.

I inclose the last Tehran "Gazette," containing an article which, under the guise of a declaration of religious toleration, is really meant to be a propitiatory address to the Soonnees of Affghanistan.

No late intelligence has been received from the East, but it cannot be long in reaching the capital, for according to the Sadr Azim's calculation, Sultan Moorad Meerza was to reach Herat 12 days ago. I have, &c. C. A. Murray, Esq.

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RICH. W. STEVENS.

(Inclosure 2.)—Consul Stevens to Mr. Murray.

Tehran, March 11, 1856.

JUST as the post is leaving, I receive the following information from a well-informed quarter.

Abbas Koolee Khan, Gerroossee, arrived yesterday from Herat ; he travelled by ordinary stages, and therefore brings no recent intelligence, but what he does report to the Government is not uninteresting.

The garrison of Herat consists of 6,000 men, and is commanded. by Essan Khan, who is decidedly anti-Persian. Provisions were at * Commander of the Body-Guard. N

[1856-57. XLVII.]

high prices; wheat 6 tomauns (37.), barley 5 tomauns (21. 108.) th

hurwer.

Sultan Moorad Meerza's force amounts to 15,000 men, two-third of which are irregular foot and horse. If the Prince should hav encountered any opposition, he will be in a difficult and dangerou position from the scarcity and dearness of provisions. Abbass Koole Khan is of opinion that Essan Khan will not admit the Persians On the other hand, I am told that merchants' letters from Hera mention that the latter has been seized; and this Government is s certain of the Prince's success, that it is to-day sending off a Tofang dar with 30 dresses of honour, some decorations, and jewelled dag: gers, for distribution among the higher classes of that town.

Yesterday a grand selam was held for the purpose of publicl; reading the letters and receiving the presents of which he was the bearer. The letters were full of assurances of devotion and sub mission to the King of Persia; one contained a passage alluding to the British Government; this was not read. The presents consisteć of a few Cashmere shawls, and 5 horses for the King, and others for the Prime Minister and his son.

The Herat Envoy has a guard of honour placed at the door of his residence with orders to prevent him from holding communication with anybody not connected with the Sadr Azim.

C. A. Murray, Esq.

I have, &c.

RICH. W. STEVENS.

No. 82.-Consul Stevens to the Earl of Clarendon.-(Rec. May 16.)
MY LORD,
Tehran, March 20, 1856.

I HAVE the honour to forward, for your Lordship's information, a French translation of an article recently published in the Tehran "Gazette," by the Persian Government, purporting to be a true statemant of the causes which led to Mr. Murray's withdrawal from this Court.

I have subjoined some remarks to enable your Lordship to judge of the degree of veracity to which the document is entitled.

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rapporté l'affaire de Mr. Murray assez longuement. Comme les nouvelles sont contraires à la vérité, et réellement loin de la réalité, tant dans les noms des personnes que dans les pourparlers qui ont eu lieu, enfin comme il n'y a rien de vrai, on peut supposer que ces nouvelles lui sont parvennes par l'entremise des personnes mal-informées, ou hostiles à notre Gouvernement;

donc il est nécessaire que la vérité de cette affaire, telle qu'elle est arrivée, soit imprimée dans cette Gazette, et que les erreurs qui ont été commises par le "Journal de Constantinople" soient redressées; ainsi nous renseignerons le public sur cet événement sans le moindre atome de différence, de manière qu'il n'y aura plus ni doute ni équivoque.

D'abord, il fut question d'un appelé Mirza Hachim Khan, qui depuis son enfance jusqu'à aujourd'hui a été au service du Gouvernement Persan, et payé par lui, sans qu'il lui fut fait jamais ni tort, ni injustice, ni sucune imposition forcée. Son emploi était en rapport avec son rang; il fut d'abord page du harem Royal, puis Gentilhomme de la Chambre, et enfin placé comme élève au Collége Militaire de Téhéran. Avant l'arrivée de son Excellence Mr. Murray, Mr. Thomson, Chargé d'Affaires d'Angleterre, voulut le faire entrer au service de la Mission. Le Gouvernement Persan de son côté n'y consentit point, et répondit qu'il était employé du Gouvernement Persan (jusqu'à

Meerza Hashem Khan was never in the Military College or in the military service.

Meerza Hashem has not received a farthing from the Persian Government for the last two years.

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