RUSSIAN VERSION.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1322, 28 December 1911, Page 5

RUSSIAN VERSION.

ATROCITIES DENIED. DISARMAMENT OF PERSIANS ORDERED. (R«c. December 27, 11 p.m.) St. Petersburg, December 27. An official telegram from Julfa, in Trans-Caucasia, reports that the Russian Consul-General at Tabriz protests against (ho publication of infamous calumnies upon the Russian troops, who, he declares, are treating the inhabitants with humanity notwithstanding the atrocities committed upon the Russian wounded and the mutilation of the bodies of the dead. The- Consul-General declares that any particular instances of innocent persons perishing were solely due to the bombardment of the houses from which a Russian detachment was subjected to a fusillade. The commander of the detachment removed women and children from these houses to sheltered encampment, and thence they were conveyed from the town by peaceable inhabitants escorted by Russian soldiers. The officer commanding tho latter was treacherously killed. Subsequently the Consul-General informed tho Governor and tho Chief 3lulInh that the disarmament of the people was a prerequisite to negotiations, adding that ho could not tolerate the pretenco of armed spectators iu the streets and oa (he roofs. Placards wero posted throughout Tabriz demanding tho immediate surrender of onus. Twenty Persian Cossacks, under the Consul-Geueral's instructions are- patrolling tho Christian quarter. The Consul-Gcncral sent troops to tho spot where a number of Russian soldiers wero killed and tho bodies of the latter wero found reduced to cinders. There were indications that some of the burned Ki-pses had apparently been only severely wounded.

RUSSIA'S QUARREL WITH PERSIA. Tho Persian Government a few davs ago announced that it would concede all the demands made in tho Russian ultimatum. Jhe present crisis arose in consequence o Russian resentment of tho (forts ot Mr. Sinister, the American official m charge of Persia's finances to bring certain defaulters to book. Jlr Sinister perceived that tho insolvency of Persia was duo mainly to the fact that lersian grandm had for years evaded the payment of their taxes. Ha sent Iris ireaMiry Gendarmes to enforce payment, and Russia 11SP ,i lw c OSSiu . ks te , the defaulters from such "undulv drastic- treatment. "Mr. Sinister has set about his ta*k ot reonranisimr Persian finance with the 7,™, ~. 01,01 '-J' aml determination," sav« T^ T,n 2 c « • " Ho that and Groat Britain have no le.ral n>ht to Hie authority they exorcise in Persia, and that the existence of Russian and British I spheres, not having been rrenenised bv Persia.- has therefore no validitv; ho assumes, wrongly in our view, that his work would be the easier if this authority and theso 'spheres' did not exist; and lie has therefore made up hj s mind to ignore them, with the inevitable result nf tli" friction which we oil deplore. 'We pre concerned," says "The Time?," " to defend Russian action in all the oases set out bv the Tronsnrer-O],-ertil in supnort. of his indictment. Snme h.ii«sian officials may have displayed an midiily arhitrary temper or undue partiality in fwmeoHon with Hip internal "tnißßles W!th wh-Vh Persia is demoted. Hut no one nhn knows much nf the orFrnniwilion nf th" Russian services especially in Oriental countries, would as«irae Vre-m that the had faith nf Ihe Russian Government, who?* officials fKfluently make their policy for Hionnelvos to an extent perpWing So EiHMimen and Americans-. We are inoliimd to nsroo, for I'.wnink. that Iho rreiin.staiices t,r (I,b PT-Sh.il) , >; return J:cin( fr> '•oiiniviuiTO fin Hie part of .-omn rf fl. f . Russian authorities: but we are (innlv rn rsl ,,,l PI l that in thU ease. n« i-i nlher.-. tli" St. PnloHinru T , orei>ru Offire ad»d wiHi the ntpinst loval'v towards rW.h (he «ikl Persin,, r( O ,-rni.iei.ts." The dismissal nf Mr. Sinister has Wn aei-ewl to by Persi:i in compliance with the Russian demand.