THE Wairarapa Age MORNING DAILY. TUESDAY, JANUARY 2, 1912. RUSSIA AND PERSIA.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10514, 2 January 1912, Page 4

THE Wairarapa Age MORNING DAILY. TUESDAY, JANUARY 2, 1912. RUSSIA AND PERSIA.

The outbreak of hostilities between Russia and Persia would seem to have been, the result, of a ®omewsiat trifling matter. It appeal® that wttueni the Persian Goveruiimenit had decided to take possession of the property of Prince .Shu a es-Salt'ameh, ibrot'lier of the ex-Shah, im view of his (rebellious aetioiii and active support of the ex-Shah, they informed the British and -Russia,in Legations of theilr 1 intentions, and intimated at the same time that whatever foreign dl'aims there might he against the property woaiid he settled by the Persian Government, which would held) itself responsible. To "this the Russian 1 Minister replied that so lonig. as Persia guaranteed satisfactioin for Russian claims he woullfd be satisfied. The PerMani Govermmeait ordered Mr SOiuster, the Treasurer-Gen-eral, to take the necessary steps to obtain possession of the property in question, and five gendarmes and one official were sent to the town house of tilie Prince, with m'struc.tions not to interfere with any miemhers: of iAi'i family, and simply to take an inventory. At the same time Mr Shu' tor sent three gendarmes to take possession of .some of the Prince's property iiv tie aulburbs of Teheran. At this juncture M. Petroff and M. Trepoif, tilie secretaries of the Radian Consul General,, arrived on vhe -ecue w.lh ten Armed -Cos'saok® ain't ordered; the Persian ger.darmes to eavo the town house. The gendarmes asked for timie to. communicate with then- superior officers, but tlie Russian Consular officials refused to grant ill's aaid stilted that if they did not leave at once tliey would be fired 1 upon. The Persian; gendarmes theai left, anidi reported the affair to the Trea&urerGteneral. Messrs Petroff and Tre-

poff, wjitili a force, also went to the suburban property referred to, and after disarming the Persian gendarmes forcibly took theim before the IlussdaM Consul General'. The latter assumed a peremptory tone, bint, returned .the Persians their a.rms, and allowed them to leave. The Trea,surer General then informed the Russian Coiisail-Goaicral' that at efeveai o'chok oil t'ho following morning lie intended to carry, out the instruo tAoi s of liis Government, and at the appointed 1 hour a number ctf gen- j tv. iines, accompanied by Ma- Cairns, tiii American official' in Mr Sinister'& Meie dc£-pat«Jied to car-; ry out the orders of the Government, 1 | but, in view of the previous day's ex- : pcrienees, the R/u&sriaji Consul-Gen-eral was first informed of his intentions. The Cons 1, however, refused the request that the Russians sihould not interfere with the order.s of the Persian Government. The attitude of the Russian' Consular officials formed. the subject of a strong protest on the >part of the Per. sian Government, wlhich dejnandfeid the recall of tiro Consiular officials concerned. These Notes, were, howeve<r, returned by the Russian Minister, who in turn, demanded: an. apology from the Persian Minister for Foreign Affairs. No satisfactory settlement of the matter was arrived at, and shortly afterwards Persia appealed to Gneat BrEaiai to intervene with • Russia diplomatically. Meanwhile Raieecfiu troops occupied Pors>iia.ii territory, and open hostilities, as recorded in our cable messages, have occurred. The situation is not emoowa.ging,, though Russia professes to be acting justly and within lier rights.