THE SHAN DEPOSED

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 563, 19 July 1909, Page 7

THE SHAN DEPOSED

THE PERSI.AN CRISIS. '■

' CROWN PRINCE TO SUCCEED. ; ; RUSSIA AND ENGLAND. , ! TELEGRAPH OFFICE STRUCK BY SHELLS (By Teleeraph.—Press Association.—Copyright.) .. "-. Tehoran, July 16.. The. Russian, and the British, Legations have ipformed the Nationalist leaders that the Shah has taken sanctuary.at the Rus-sian-Embassy. ! ..• ■ ~-' ... , .'■ ■-.

This announcement is expected to.terminate the fighting. The Nationalist leaders declare their intention to leave the future to the nation to decido. London, ,July 16. The "Times" states thatthe losses on both sides during the recent fighting in and about Teheran were less than a'hundred. J THE LATEST. THE DEPOSITION OF THE SHAH.

MANY SHOPS LOOTED. CRec. July 18, 5 p.m.) ■ Teheran, July 17, Tho National Assembly, composed of tho notables and military chiefs, deposed tho Shah and proclaimed the Crown Prince, his successor, in tho presence of an , immense crowd. The head of thoKajar tribe has been appointed regent, and Sipahdar has been given the dual position of Minister for War and Governor of Teheran. Router's correspondent says that the COS 7 sacks 'under Colonel Liakhoff have ' been allowed to retain their arms,. in order that thoy may serve the new Government. Colonel Liakhoff, escorted by the Bakhtairi mounted riflemen, drovo to National Council, amid tho loud cheers of tho populace. '"' '

Several newspapers commend Russia for adhering to tho understanding with England and remaining neutral in.tho recent struggle. Colonal Liakhoff acted under terms of an arrangement by tho two Legations. Though' the telegraph ofßce was repeatedly struck by shells and bullets, the staff remained at thoir posts. ' Many shops were looted. Tho Shah occupies a Russian bungalow, under a Russian and British guard. ': ' '1 "; THE DEPOSED! RULER. '■; ;m ■ SOLDIER AND STUDENT;.:/ : <y\■ . Ali., Mirza, ; who ascended the throne of Persia on the death of his father in January, 1907, is the eldest son of,Muzaffer-ed-' Dm by a daughter of Mirza Taki Khan. He is thirty-seven years of age, and was born at iabnz when his father was Viceroy of that province: As a child tho prince showed signs of great intelligence, remarkable strength of character, and independence of will. The late Shah took, great pains with -the education ■'•■of his children; and the Crown Prince not only acquired the: usual -Persian/education-Persian and.Arabio philosophyand.sojences—bnt he also received instruction from various European professors,:erigagod -as. his tutors.- '/Thus, 1 although/the .deposed Shah has .not been to Lurope-^ho' is, well ....versed ip the subjects' 1 taught ; in; the ;■ schools and V universities of Europe. He; ;speaks French 'particularly" well, and'vhaß devoted a considerable,'time to; tho.' study of political sciences .and the political' his-. toryiiofaiEurbpe.'-'A.ihong tne literary men,of Persia gained-, fame :for his excellent" calijrraphy and elegant style, .two, accomplishments much 'prized in Persia. Hejis, however,' above;all; aimlitaryviitan, arid'has had a ca'reful'and .thorough,. training in .the., art! of 'war, and has commanded several regiments; Indeed so-desirous'were the' late Shah- and Nasr-ed-'-Dm, the grandfather of Mohammed All Mirza,' that, his military training should be as thorough' as possible, .that tho young Prince entered the ;nrmy. as an ensign, and reached the grade of commander solely on his merits, and bnly.aftor having: served, the full'; period fixed for 'each intermediate 'grade.'; :\His...Majesty's, military qualifications; found a 'wide 'scope in-:'the administration :.pf 'the:.province : of;' Azerbaijan; This is pssentiaUy a military province, and the majority; of the-best Persian troops are recruited among its inhabitants. This is-one'of the ; reasons'why this province has the' privilege of always, being governed by the future Sovereign of Persia until'his > accession to tho throne.,,lt was in the past deemed' important :that ;-the ruler: should,'while Crown "Prince, be-enabled to gain the sympathy of the most important province of the country and of the ■flower of tho army; so as to strengthen his.position ;in the event 'of any rising at the time 'of his accession to the throne.': In appearance the depdsed. monarch is of medium' height,: stout, plump-featured, clean shaven, except for a oloeecropped i black moustache,: and has'perfectly black hair and eyebrows.. His eyes are small, arid almost Japanese in type. Ho is fond of sport and all' forms of. outdoor exercise.'. Nothing gives him greater pleasure than,to set out,< ac a moment's .notice, •' on a hazardous, fatiguing'shooting expedition' ahiid the 'rocky' mountains;-which surround' Teheran. •':,. ••'•'■ ...'

Professor Vambery, the, great Oriental traveller,gives the following account of the deposed Shah and of his political likings :—"One should always remember that. tho Persian <Hs more astute and clever, than he is, given credit for;" ; Mohammed Ali Mirza has a' strange' combination of virtues and vices.- ,He did not'get' on well with his father! I distinctly remember his, father telling me what an : excited, passionate, quarrelsome fellow he was, always in trouble, and always in need of a friend. Tot alongside; this part of his! character one may find redeeming qualities, such as when* by, the fuse of making the SOO-men-of. a-garrisoi in an Armenian locality' change their' uniform four times and march.out, a mob bent on'masr sacre*,was overawed by apparent;numbers. Il is also stated.that.it was lie/as Crown Prince who virtually, secured the indemnity paid to the. widow of'the Rev. Labaree, an American missionary, murdered in Persia. 1 The Shah has, however,' only two eyes—one for. England, the other'for-Russia." : 1 / i - "'■' \"'"-\ '■ I"'';■'• ■;; .'. ATTITUDE 'OF BRITAIN.'":; ■ In the. House of .Commons recently Mr.: Lynch'directed attention to the gravity of, the situation i,n Persia.. He reviewed recenteyents arid insisted that the Constitution, which the Shah'had destroyed, ought to.'be restored. Sir E. Grey 'said that the Anglo-Russian Convention .was' a''self-denying Convention• which did not impose upon us any obligation in regard to Persia's own-affairs. Before criticising Russia we ought to< imagine what our own position would /be if there were similar trouble on the Indian frontier. It could not'be,said that Russia \ had been eager to intervene. The Go verriment desired' the restoration of order arid decent government' in order that the.danger of intervention, which might come if the country should' fall into completo anarchy, might be removed; ; but when they gave advice'they were not going to.assume' the responsibility of saying what- kind of government Persia was to have. . ■-;..-■'.•

CHILDREN OF THE SHAHI • ' . The deposed Shah has four sons, namely, (1) Itezad as Saltaneh, (2) Sultan Ahmed Sli'rza, Valiahd (heir apparent), (3) Mohammed Mehdi .Mirza,' (4J Mohammed Hassan Mirza. There are also some (laughters. According to the Constitution, the Shah must belong to tho Shiah faith, and his successor must be his eldest :son, or'next male heir in succession, whoso .mother<-was a Kajar princess. The mother of the'deposed monarch was not a ; Kajar princess, and his.eldest son, is nut heir apparent, ; because his mother was not a Kajar princess.'