PERSIAN PLOT.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 135, 2 March 1908, Page 7

PERSIAN PLOT.

» ATTEMPT AGAINST THE SHAH. TWO BOMBS THROWN. ;TWELVE PERSONS KILLED AND MANY WOUNDED. DT TELEQRAFII —FUE6S ASSOCIATION' —COPYRIGHT. .. Teheran, February 28. A great sensation has been caused in Teheran, the capital of Persia, by a determined attempt to assassinate the Shah. Two bombs were thrown, a number of persons being killed and twenty wounded. The Shah escaped unhurt, (Rec. March 1, 5 p.m.) Teheran, February 29. Details received of the attempt to kill .the Shah show that the bombs were thrown from the .roof of a ,house in a narrow street. . One bomb exploded in the air, and the other struck the ground, killing the outriders near the Shah's f unoccupied motorcar. The Tribal Cavalry, who were escorting the Shah, fled. The Shah, who occupied a carriage In the rear, then, returned to his palace. Twelve persons were killed by the explosion. A search was made of the houses in the violnity of the outrage, but it proved fruitless. . ' The news of the occurrence oaused the greatest surprise in London, as the situation at Teheran recently has been reported to be quiet. RECENT DEVELOPMENTS IN PERSIA. AN ARMED CAMP. Towards the end of December last, and during tho early part of the present year, Teheran ■was reported to, bo an armed camp, Parlia- . inent and peoplo against tho Shall, who was suspeoted of an intention to cancol the Constitution' granted by his father. After the release of his.Promiei-, whom he.had arrested, negotiations wore begun . between tho armedand barricaded Assembly' and the monarch. Quietude. 6cemod at. hiind, when more firing, following somo murders by tho mob, brought all back to their posts.. It wis arranged that the negotiations botweon tho Shah and the Parliament, should not be continued unless tho peoplo encamped in tho Maidan (the promenading ground); struck their tents and dispersed, lino the Constitutionalists left tho Parliament buildings. This , was dono, tho 'shops': wore re-oponed, and tilings looked hopeful.' But' while Parliament was deliberating, some shots were fired in ; the Maidan. Tho tents were again pitched and the,peoplo reassembled, and everyone was again armed and at his'post. Parliament received tolegrams from- tho principal cities in the ■ country promising help. : , . ' Armed men visited tho bazaars '-'and demanded. the closing of tho shops, arid the local political club sent. to tho Consuls, a communication that, ;in consequenco of . the tolegrams received from the Shah and his Majesty's infringement of the' Constitution, ho had been dethroned by the nation.- This announcement, however, proved to bp incorrect. " ■ " THE SHAH. Mohammed, Ali Mirza, who ascended the .throno in 'January, .1907, 'has had tho reputation of being a liberal-minded, potentate. His education' has beon quite Westorh in its thoroughness. Though' lie has never' left Persia, as the Crown Prince in tho ordinary way must not, ho has had a- French" tutor, and speaks. French fluently. Ho also knows some 1 1 He has learnt;'tho art of war from -the .bottom, starting as; a lieutenant, and passing; a sufficient, time ;in every, grade to be thoroughly acquainted with the; whole administration. iTlio .soldiers from his province are'thc best in Persia. The education; of his children was the hobby of ;, the lato Shah, which lie indulged in the "scanty.'intervals loft to tho absolute Autocrat of Persia. They were brought, up quito to \ notions, including a love ,of sport. Tho, throno of tho 'Shah dates from the'age of Cyrus; liis empire is oven gldor in foundation r than ' tho Holy Roman. . ~ A CONSTITUTION. Not' long before his death ,the lato Shah, ordered tho formation' of a 'National Consultative Council, composed' of representatives of..all* classes, from, the ,princes downwards. The Assembly was to havo the privilege of giving advice on important Stato and publio affairs, and suggesting reforms conducive to tho , welfare of tho, peoplo of flipcountry. Shorty after , liis accessfori the now • Shah sent' a message to Parliament granting all popnla'n domands, including recognition of the, fact that the country was'under constitutional government. ' Later he was accused by. the Parliament of wilful opposition to the National (Assembly, and it was urged that tlio attitude he had'taken "up was,causing the anarchical condition prevailing in fPersia. From , the .outset Mohammed Ali Mirza has had a rough passage, as, in addition to tho discontent of his' people, and the Turkish frontier'trouble, hisibrothers have mOro than once risen against him. When his second' brother took up arms, Cossacks were found fighting, on tho' side'' of the Shah. .. . PREMIER ASSASSINATED. In August, 1907, Ainin es Sultaneh, the first Premier under the new constitution, was assassinated as he'was leaving tho National : Council,. where lie was " unpopular' owing to his political tendencies being regarded as not sufficiently advanced. His treatment of the Tur-oo-Persian incident was not considered energetic enough. SIR EDWARD GREY'S ADVICE. Describing Porsia as "practically in a stato of .revolution," Sir .E. Grey, the Foreign Minister,' stated in a recent . spee'eh at' Berwick that but for tho Anglo-Russian convention therb would have been a great temptation for either Russia or England to interfere. ' ' ! " Tho; proper policy in. .my opinion," ,he wont on, " is that so long .as Persia does not display an anti-foreign feeling so long should foreign nations abstain from' interfering, and leave . the Persians to. settle , their own affairs. . I wish them a happy issue and a' better government. ' "The full effect of the Anglo-Russian agreement depends upon the working of it, and you will not know what that full effect will be until a few years have passed. If it is worked, as it is intended, in a faithful and friendly spirit-on, each side, it will dissipato jealousy and suspicion, and ' relievo both nations from tho strain of anxiety; and if peace between England and Russia is assured, it is a vnluablo contribution to securing tho peaco of the world." The British and Russian' diplomatic representatives have received ■ instructions : to. - act in concert, and: have been co-operating on all matters where it may bo necessary. There never lias been any question of active military;, intervention on tho part of Russia, in whose sphere of. influence under the recent Anglo-Russian agreement. Toheran lies.