PERSIAN AFFAIRS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 149, 20 December 1911, Page 5

PERSIAN AFFAIRS.

A RUSSIAN SUGGESTION. By Cable—Press Association—Copyright. St. Petersburg, December 18. The Novoe Vremya suggests that the best way to overcome the pecuniary difficulties'in collection with the Persian indemnity will b-> to accelerate the projected trans-Per-lan railway scheme under British, Prussian and French control. MR. SIIUSTBR. PERSIA'S ONLY HOPE. Received 20, 9.30 p.m . Teheran, December 19. Notwithstanding the Foreign Minister's appeal to the Mejliss to support the Cabinet and conciliate Russia, various speakers insisted on Mr. Shuster's retention as Persia's only hope. The, Mejliss "refused the Cabinet proposals. Writing of Russian complieitr in organising disorders in Persia. Mr. 11. B. Lynah says in the London Daily News:—"Ever since the time when the Russian Colonel Liakhoff bombarded the Persian Parliament House, Russian complicity with the force's of disorder in Persia has been established by a long chain of unanswerable evidence; and a situation has thus arisen which may any day bring us face to face with the Russian occupation of Northern Persia. Already on one pretext and another over four thousand Russian troops have been introduced into these regions. On one protest or another every effort made hy the Persian Government to put its house in order is skilfully frustrated. From Russia, Mohammed Ali is let loose upon the infant structure of constitutional government in Persia. He is decisively defeated by a small Government force, and flies to the districts adjoining the frontier of Russia. This victory, followed by the overthrow of the ex-Shah's brother, Salar-ed-Dowleh, who has been advancing from the west at the head of a swarm of irregulars, would he followed by the firm establishment of constitutional government in Persia, if Persia were only given a free hand. As things are, the ex-Shah returns from the districts adjoining the Russian frontier to keep the pot seething until it suits the Russia Government once and for all to throw off the mask."