PERSIA.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1329, 5 January 1912, Page 5

PERSIA.

fIEGENERATION HAMPERED. BRITISH PEESTIGE IN INDIA. By TeleETaDh—Press AEsoclatlon-CoDyritrhV (Rec. ■Taauary 1, 9.20 p.m.) London, Januarj , 1. - Lord Lsmington, epeaking at Edinburgh, taid Persia had been hampered <ind Ihivai'led in hor regeneration. When shn appeared to 1)0 extricating herself Russia interposed. It is necessary to eeeurn the withdrawal of Iho Russians from Kasvin if tbo partition of Persia was to be avoided, l'or tho sake of her prestige in India, Britain must exert herself to keep Persia free, KEOEGAMSATION OP THE FISCAL SYSTEM. " Teheran, January 3. The Eussian and British Legations are urging the appointment of M. Mornard, Belgian Director of Customs, to succeed Mr. Morgan Shuster, the American financial expert who was appointed to reorganise tho Persian fiscal system. British traders strongly object to this proposal, EIGHT PERSONS EXECUTED. Teheran, January 3. It is reported that Russians executed eight in connection with the outbreak by the inob at Tabriz, including one of the greatest ecclesiastics in Azerbaijan. "The Times," of November 22, states:— The Russian Government, it is true, has given assurances that this movement of troops is merely intended to enforce the demands put forward in its ultimatum, and that the force will bo withdrawn as hi m as I'ersia has conceded those demands. These assurances we have.no right to question, and it must be remembered that on a. previous occasion Russian troops occ'jpied Kasvin for some timo and were withdrawn iu accordance with civil assurances i..s soon as Persia had fulfilled the conditions upon which Russia thru insisted. Nevertheless wo cannot blind ourselves to tho significance of tho action which Russia has now taken in circumstances which, at least on tho surface, do not appear to afford altogether adequate justification for it. There have been incidents in' the course of the last two or three years which have offered Russia m-HNJ favourable opportunities 'or forcible nno permanent intervention iu Northern Persh had she oiilerhiued the sinuter designs imputed to her in some quarters. . ._. The situation in Southern os well as in Northern Persia, is iiudoulitvdly vcrv critical, and all our interests iic in the direction of an early and peaceful solut.io'.i of the crisis. But -ueh a solution will certainly not be assisted by sentimental expressions of sympathy tit Persia which ignore the sterner realities.