tomauns which lay over to an indefinite period. The disposition of the Prince towards this visit was never publicly known; but certain it is that great preparations were making for the journey, and that the King strongly urged him to hasten his departure. The financial supply was the only difficulty, and it was rumoured that his Majesty had sent the Prince 30,000 tomauns to pay his expenses. It was stated that the Prince was to go from St. Petersburgh to London, and that the English envoy had advised the proper authorities, in order that he might be respectfully invited. In the meanwhile that dreadful catastrophe occurred which has been related in a former chapter. 177 CHAPTER XI. POLITICAL RELATIONS BETWEEN GREAT BRITAIN AND PERSIA. I WILL here venture on a very slight retrospect of the political relations between Great Britain and Persia during the last forty years, previous to which time they were not deemed to be of much importance. It may be considered as rather tender ground to go over, particularly as I have never been summoned to the council board, nor permitted even to approach the vestibule of their deliberations and I was often amused at Tabreez at the profound mystification attending those deliberations, which were soon after so freely discussed by the Persians publicly, who have no sort of objection to make known their cabinet inten tions; indeed, it is probable that the Grand Vizier himself, when he sits under the shaving operations of the "dellok," or barber, relates to him, in the course of common conversation, the discussions of the last privy council. Tabreez, although only a local government, had all the importance attached to it of being the grand focus of European diplomacy. The Shah had deputed Abbas Meerza to this department of the state; the English and Russian envoys were residing at this court, and all business relating to Ferengestan was here transacted. In the year 1800,, during the enlightened and vigorous administration of the then Governorgeneral of India, the Marquis Wellesley, Captain John Malcolm was sent as envoy to the Persian court, with which he concluded a treaty of amity, and an engagement on the part of the Persians to send twenty thousand men to attack some Affghan tribes, bordering the Honorable Company's territories. The great Napoleon, too, even amidst the mighty toils of European warfare, did not overlook the importance of cultivating an alliance with Persia, with the view, probably, of opening to himself a way to British India. This was in consequence of an invitation from the Persian court, who sent an envoy, Meerza Reza, to Buonaparte, and he answered it by sending a large embassy, confided to General Gardine, in the capacity of envoy extraordinary, to undermine, if possible, the British influence. This mission met with the greatest respect from the court of Tehran; the King conferred the order of the Lion and Sun on the ambassador. The mission excited great alarm in the government of India, and the French interests were now rapidly increasing, although in the treaty alluded to was this clause, " And should ever any person of the French nation attempt to pass your ports or boundaries, or desire to establish themselves either on the shores or frontiers, you are to take means to expel and extirpate them, and never to allow them to obtain a footing in any place, and you are at full liberty and authorised to disgrace and slay them." The Governor-general thought it necessary to meet this vacillation of the Persian court with • The French first appeared in Persia in 1665, and concluded a treaty with the Shah in 1674. A splendid mission was sent by Shah Sultan Hussein to Louis XIV., in relation to a trade with France over the Caspian. menace, and accordingly prepared at Bombay an expedition of ten thousand men to act against Persia. She began to arm her frontiers, and to make preparations, as though intending to resist force by force; but she soon declined the task, and sent a plenipotentiary to India, offering to expel the French mission from Tehran.* This was hastened by her being attacked at the same time by the Russians on her northern frontiers. She likewise offered to subsidise any number of British troops to aid her against the enemy. Sir John Malcolm was immediately dispatched again from India; but in the meantime another British mission just then made its appearance in Persia from England, headed by Sir Harford Jones, who reached Tehran February 14, 1809, thus superseding Sir John Malcolm, who for some time remained at Bushire. Sir Harford was empowered to enter into a treaty, engaging the East India Company to pay to Persia a subsidy of two hundred thousand tomauns annually, and to send her free of expense as many British officers and troops as she might require, to expel the invaders • The ambassador was Hadji Kelel Khan, who was unfortunately killed in a fray at Bombay, as referred to by his Majesty in his letter to Abbas Meerza. |