(Inclosure 2.)-Consul Stevens to the Persian Minister for Foreign Affairs.

A PRESS of business has prevented the Undersigned, Her Britannic Majesty's Consul in Tehran, from earlier ackowledging the receipt of the letter from his Excellency the Minister for Foreign Affairs, replying to one which the Undersigned addressed to his Excellency on the 31st May, complaining of a gross outrage committed, on the 22nd, on the person of his Meerza, and on the premises. of the British Consulate.

Having reported the occurrence to Her Britannic Majesty's Government, the Undersigned does not consider himself at liberty to prolong the discussion on this disagreeable affair. He cannot, however, help observing:

First. That Meerza Mootallib has been 18 months in the service of the Undersigned, during which he has been called upon every day, and at all hours of the day and night, to discharge his duties, and the Undersigned has never observed that the Meerza was subject to mental alienation, as stated in his Excellency's letter.

Secondly. The Prime Minister, having evidently forgotten what he wrote Akhoond Mollah Sauleeh, the Undersigned transmits herewith a copy of his Highness's note, for the information of the Persian Government.

Thirdly. With regard to the house from which Meerza Mootallib was forcibly removed, and which in his letter of the 31st May the Undersigned called the British Consulate, he has to remark that it was purchased for a Consulate, and occupied as such by the Undersigned 8 months ago; and further, that Her Majesty's Government having paid for the premises 8 months ago, it will be in a position to judge whether they are really the British Consulate, or, as his Excellency in his letter affirms, the property of the woman merchant.

Finally, The Undersigned would beg leave to observe, that after the verbal communication he received on the 5th instant from his Highness the Sadr Azim, through Hagee Mahomed Rahem and Hagee Syed Nessvoollah, and also a communication which reached him through Hagee Abdul Azim from Agha Syed Morteza, he enter tained some hope of seeing this discussion brought to a satisfactory termination. He has, therefore, perused, with no less surprise than regret, the contents of the letter of his Excellency the Minister for Foreign Affairs.

The Undersigned, in closing a correspondence the decision upon which now rests with Her Majesty's Government, finally protests against the outrage of the 22nd May, as being a proceeding contrary to usage, to existing Treaties, and contrary to the respect due to Her Britannic Majesty's Government.

[1856-57. XLVII.]

RICH. W. STEVENS.

No. 115.-Consul Stevens to the Earl of Clarendon.-(Rec, July 29. MY LORD, Camp near Tehran, June 20, 1856 I HAVE the honour to inclose, for your Lordship's information, narrative translated from the Persian, of events in Herat, drawn uj from the verbal statement of a native of that place, who recently came to Tehran with letters to the Herat Envoy, and whose intel ligence, when questioned, so struck me, that I was induced to ask him to allow my Meerza to take the statement in writing, especially when I found that most of his information was confirmed by what has reached me from other sources.

Your Lordship will see it asserted in the latter part of the narrative, that Essan Khan has hoisted the English flag on the Char-baugh, a house formerly occupied by the East India Company's Resident in Herat, where he has also lodged a person represented to the natives as being an Envoy from the British Government. A report to the same effect, only the acts were attributed to Shahzadeh Mahomed Youssuf, had reached the Governor-General of India from the British Commissioner in the Punjab, and his Lordship in Council has instructed me, through the Bombay Government, të disclaim to the Persian Government all knowledge of either the pretended Envoy, or the hoisting of the flag.

Your Lordship's instructions, however, forbid my holding any communication with the Persian Government on such a subject; I shall, therefore, confine myself to denying in whatever quarters I may hear the circumstances mentioned, that the British authorities in India have had participation in the acts above mentioned. I have, &c.

The Earl of Clarendon.

RICH. W. STEVENS,

(Inclosure.)-Narrative of Events in Herat,

his

A MONTH before the festival of Noorooz (21st March), Sam Khan, who had been invited by Shahzadeh Mahomed Youssuf to come, with 1,000 horsemen, in the capacity of Envoy, arrived and took up quarters in the new citadel, accompanied by a force of 2,000 men The townspeople, on seeing so large a number of troops with the Elkhanee, became alarmed, and soon expelled him, when he retired to the garden called Baugh Shahzadeh Malik Kassim, where he remained about 20 days. Thence he was also expelled. He with drew to a distance of 8 fursukhs, and was joined by Pasha Khan Serteep, with whom he proceeded to Ghorian. Prince Sultan Moorad Meerza in the meanwhile arrived, and they laid siege to Ghorian. The siege lasted 20 days, during which several actions (probably skirmishes) were fought. Serdar Ahmed Khan Noorallah Khan, Koollar Agassee, Naib Moorad Aly, Naib Aly Jan, and Attaoollah Khan Tambaree and Shahzadeh Muhsin, left

Herat to assist Ghorian. Attaoollah Khan, who was secretly understood with Shahzadeh Mahomed Youssuf, deserted the party and went over to Sultan Moorad Meerza. In a fight, Naibs Aly Jan and Moorad Aly shot the horse of Serdar Ahmed Khan so that he might be easily captured by the Persians, and then returned to Herat, leaving 200 Affghans prisoners with the Persians and 60 killed. The people of Ghorian, after consuming 70 camel-loads of ammunition, and killing 200 of Sultan Moorad Meerza's men, could hold out no longer; they surrendered, and Sultan Moorad Meerza took possession of the place.

After taking Ghorian, the army advanced upon Herat. On the second day after it arrived, the people quitted the town to offer battle; but were recalled by Mahomed Youssuf. On the third day, however, they refused to obey him, went out of town, and engaged the Persians, who lost 200 men in killed, and 70 prisoners, together with the colours of the Nishapoor regiment, and 30 wall-pieces taken from Sam Khan's division. The prisoners were released, and, with the colours, sent back to the army by Mahomed Youssuf.

The Jamshedee and other tribes, who had come to assist the Heratees, were summoned by Shahzadeh Mahomed Youssuf, and ordered to return to their homes. On hearing this, the Heratees and Affghans became suspicious of Mahomed Youssuf, who clearly sought to surrender the place to the Kajjars. Many quitted Herat and went to Kohistan. Shahzadeh Mahomed Youssuf was anxious for an arrangement; he sent a person to Sultan Moorad Meerza to ascertain his conditions. The Prince demanded that the sons of the Chief Sirdar be delivered to him to be sent to Tehran as hostages. Shazadeh Mahomed Youssuf accepted, and sent his own brother, with the sons of the Sirdars and two pieces of artillery, which had once belonged to the Persians. After these hostages reached Sultan Moorad Meerza, he intimated that if the Heratees would allow 1,000 Persian troops to occupy the place and citadel, and also strike coin and read the Friday prayer in the name of the Shah, he would withdraw his army. Shahzadeh Mahomed Youssuf replied, that several of the notables would not submit, and he recommended the Prince to retire his army to Ghorian until means were found for seizing the parties who were opposed to the Persians; after that the Persians might return and do as the Prince desired. Sultan Moorad Meerza agreed, and accordingly withdrew the army to Bernabad. Shahzadeh Mahomed Youssuf ordered Hagee Gholaum Khan to go into the citadel and murder Essan Khan, and Hagee Gholaum Khan directed his people to pick a quarrel with Essan Khan's followers, so that when they were occupied he might attack their master as ordered. Hagee Gholaum Khan discharged a pistol at Essan Khan, but only wounded him slightly; upon which Essan

Khan ordered him to be arrested, and then, seizing also Shahzadeh Mahomed Youssuf, Pir Mahomed Khan, and others, in all 42 persons, known to be friendly to the Persians, expelled them from the town, and sent them to the camp of Sultan Moorad Meerza.

The Jewish, Hindoo, and Persian communities were each called upon by Essan Khan to furnish 3,000 tomauns. On receiving these 9,000 tomauns, he hoisted the English flag on the Char-baugh, Danlettee Kazee Mollah Mehmed Hassan, formerly in the service of the English Resident, assisting at the ceremony. At about this time a person reached Furrah, on his way from India. Essan Khan sent a flag and 800 horsemen to escort him, and thus make the people believe this man was an Envoy from the British Government. He entered the town with all possible honours and attentions, and was lodged at the Char-baugh under the English flag.

The Ulemahs, Mufti, and others, assembled at Essan Khan's, and declared they would never submit to the Kajjars; that the country belonged to the English. Essan Khan took an oath as they requested, and they retired satisfied.

Sultan Moorad Meerza, on learning what was passing, quitted Bernabad, and again advaced to near Herat. The Heratees met the army at a village called Oojaloo, where they fought a battle; 300 Persians were killed, and 400 camels captured and brought into Herat; the Heratees losing 3 men killed and 9 wounded. The day after, all the ammunition of the Persian army exploded and killed 360 men. The Heratees made a sortie, and again killed 200 men; 15 were taken prisoners and immediately sold to the Toorkomans. The army remained 5 days, skirmishing every day, till at length the Persians retired to Seng-a-Best, whence horsemen were dispatched to Meshed for ammunition.

3,000 Toorkoomans from Serekhs, Merve, and Meimuneh, came and agreed that 1,000 of them should take the Meshed road, and plunder whatever came in their way, 1,000 the road to Ghyne, and 1,000 to hover about the Persian camp. The roads are quite impracticable for travellers, and the soldiers dare not quit their tents; 300 of Sam Khan's horsemen, escorting 400 camel-loads of provisions from Meshed, were seized by Toorkomans; 30 of the horsemen subse quently escaped.

Aly Koolee Khan, the brother of Abdoollah Jan, Jamsheedee, with 1,000 men, had entered Herat to reinforce Essan Khan, Abdoollah Jan himself had collected 3,000 men, and had summoned 3,000 Yoozbegs, and he wrote to Essan Khan that he would soon reach Herat at the head of 6,000 men.

At this moment there are 7,000 fighting men in Herat, assembled under the English flag. I quitted Herat 27 days from this date (June 16, 1856).

No. 116.-Consul Stevens to the Earl of Clarendon.-(Rec. July 29.) (Extract.) Camp near Tehran, June 22, 1856. Ir has this day been reported to me that the Government has received intelligence, confirming the facts mentioned in the inclosure to my despatch to your Lordship of the 20th instant, viz., the hoisting of the English flag in Herat; the appearance of a person there, calling himself a British Envoy; and, finally, the retreat of the Persian army to a distance of 20 or 25 miles on the road to Meshed.

I have also been assured that orders were sent off to Prince Sultan Moorad Meerza, enjoining him to carry Herat, even with the certainty of losing half his army, and the Shah has also addressed an autograph note to the Prince Commander-in-chief, in which the latter is threatened with being treated like a common criminal if he does not capture the place.

The King and Prime Minister believe that the possession of Herat by the Persian army will be a cause of alarm to Her Majesty's Government, and that by carrying this particular point they will escape on easier terms for their unbecoming conduct towards Mr. Murray.

In considering the Herat question, it may perhaps be requisite to bear in mind that the Persian expedition, according to the Government declaration, was undertaken at the urgent request of Shahzadeh Mahomed Youssuf, and of the Heratees, in view of an expected attack from the Ameer Dost Mahomed Khan. The actual state of things shows that the Persians were actuated by far different reasons. The Shahadeh himself is a prisoner in their camp; the Heratees are gallantly, and so far successfully, opposing the Persians; and the Ameer, who was represented as being in full march upon Herat in December last, is quietly occupied in consolidating his position at Candahar. The question therefore occurs, Why do the Persians persist in their schemes of conquest? There can be but one answer their determination to show the people of Central Asia that they dare brave the British Government, and the hope already alluded to, of alarming the British Government into an easy settlement of the other differences existing with the Persian Court.

Kambar Aly Khan, who, in 1838, was sent by the Persian Government into Affghanistan to work against the British Government, has just been recalled from exile, and appointed to a mission to Dost Mahomed Khan.

The departure of Ferokh Khan for Paris has been postponed to some time next month, so that it will be the middle of September before he can reach Constantinople.

The Earl of Clarendon.

RICH. W. STEVENS.