Page 190 - PERSIAN 2 1879_1883

22 ADMINISTRATION REPORT OF THE PERSIAN GULP POLITICAL

AH belief in high aims, in desire to promote the welfare of country
or people on the part of the rulers, must be at once eliminated, and the
fact boldly grasped that there is one sole aim and object in all Persian
policy to keep power for yourself in order to be able to extract money.
This definition applies from the highest in rank to the Deputy Exeeul
tioner, or the Forrash, which latter gentleman indeed often draws a con-
sidcrablc sum of money whilst laying on the bastinadoe.
The obvious rider to this policy of personal interest is that you
should never allow another man to become too powerful or rich, when
such power may be fraught with danger to yourself, and when a scheme
against him, resulting iu his downfall, will probably give you a share in
the spoliation of him.
Having said thus much plainly, I will give an account of Prince
Firhad Mirza’s accession to power as gathered from different relations to
myself. In order to do this, I must present the Mushir-ul-Mulk to
notice. He is a grey-bearded keen-eyed old man, tall, and courtly,
carrying his seventy odd summers very lightly, and known for his
courtesy to Europeans. Some three years ago he was a power of no
mean order in Fars, and indeed from his still enormous wealth and
stubborn enmity is yet to be feared by the Prince Governor, as he will
never leave n stone unturned to obtain revenge. In the time I speak
of Yahia Khan was Governor of Fars, but he was apparently a weak
ruler. Hence it was the policy of the all powerful Mushir to keep the
province in a state of ferment for his own advantage. Several powerful
Chiefs enjoyed his support and protection, and in return he obtained a large
mudakhil out of the proceeds of their robberies. I have seen almost the
same system covertly carried on by the smaller, and even by big Chiefs
in Rajpootana only a few years ago. The end of this state of things
was the recall of Yahia Khan as being unable to keep the province in
order,.and it was then offered to the Hishmet-ed-Dowlah, brother to the
present ruler. The three brothers, uncles of the Shah, had all bound
themselves to refuse, and the Hishmet refused at once. Mo’temid-ed-
Dowlah was, however, tempted by his greed of gold, unable to refuse,
and whilst swearing he would never consent, consented. This breach of
convention led to an estrangement between the brothers, and the difficulty
was not bridged over until Mo'temid-ed-Dowlah had promised to disgrace
the Mushir-ul-Mulk, on which a return of friendship was assured. At
the very first levee held by the Prince, he taxed the Mushir with some
of his many peccadilloes, no difficult task, and gradually warming to
bis work, finally cried out “ to the sticks with him." He was beaten
most savagely, being then an old man of over seventy years, and the
pithy telegram to his brother from the Mo’temid would appear to have
been--"Are you satisfied now?" Incautious letters written by the
Mushir-ul-Mulk to a robber Chief, who had been taken, were found upon
the latter, and supplied the immediate excuse wanted, and evidence that
could not be controverted. From that day the Mushir has been a ruined
man, but his wealth is still enormous. Our sympathies however fail to
follow him, not on account of his implication with robber Chiefs, f°r
that may almost be looked at in the light of a custom of the country#
but from calling to remembrance the share he had in helping the late Eel*