BLUE BOOK REVELATION

Evening Post, Volume LXXXV, Issue 64, 17 March 1913, Page 8

BLUE BOOK REVELATION

MR. SHUSTER'S DEPARTURE FROM PERSIA. DEMAND INITIATED BY SIR E. ! GREY. By lelegrapn.—Press ABsociation.~'Copyright< ' (Received 1 March 17, 8.5 a.m.) LONDON, 16th March. \The newspaper* are surprised at a Blue Book revelation that Sir Edward Grey initiated Russia's demand for Mr. 1 Morgan Shtister's departure from Persia. 1 [In 1911-12 Persia's political situation was confused by difficulties arising from within and without, In one of these difficulties Mr. Morgan Shuster played a prominent part., With the approval of the British Government in 1911, a loan of £1,260,000 was advanced by the Imperial Bank, and the Mejliss (Persian National Council) agreed to the appointment of a number of American financial experts, One of these, Mr. Shuster, was appointed Treasurer-General, with authority to supervise the collection and disbursement of all revenues. One of Mr. Shuster's first steps was to suggest the organisation of a Revenue Gendarmerie, and Russian susceptibilities were aroused by his recommendation for the post of Organiser of this force of Major Stokes, an officer of the Indian Army. Russian objections were based on the belief that the appointment would give a British officer executive functions in Northern Persia, and would thus be contrary to the spirit of the Anglo-Russian Agreement. In deference to these objections the Indian Government withheld its consent to the resignation by Major Stokes of his appointment to the Army. The Mejliss retaliated by withholding for a time its consent' to the appointment of an Englishman, Mr. New, to the post of Administrator of Persian Telegraphs, members urging that the action of England in the Stoke affair made it impossible to offer a contract to an Englishman in the Persian service. Eventually, however, , the Chamber unanimously ratified Mr. ftaw's appointment. Mr. Shuster issued in October a statement vigorously protesting against the attitude of Russia in the Stokes case, and against England's acquiescence therein, On 29th November, 1911, a crisis was produced by the Russian ultimatum demanding the instant dismissal 'of Mr. Shuster and another American • official. The crisis was prolonged for nearly four Weeks t the Mejliss refusing to give the Cabinet powers to effect a settlement and the Cabinet refusing to resign. Meanwhile Russian troops advanced towards Teheran as far as Kaavin. Sir Edward Grey stated in the House of Commons, on 30th November, that His Majesty's Government had received assurances from Russia as to the temporary and provisional character of the steps that were taken. Mr. Shuster's persistence in appointing British subjects to administrative posts in the north of Persia had, he said, made things impossible. On' 24th December the Regent abruptly dissolved, the .Mejliss, declaring the session closed, and the Cabinet hastened to express its readiness to comply with the Russian demands. M. Mornard, a Belgian, was appointed TreasurerGeneral in place of l\fr. Shuster.

Barnes Swanwick, a single man, residing\ in Homer-street, Newtown, while endeavouring to board thg hulk Occident bri Saturday nighfc, .shortly after 10 o'clock, fell between the hulk and the steamer Arawa, against which rtho hulk was'moored'at the Glasgow' Wharf. His cries attracted' the- ■ attention of Mrs. Keegan, wife of the hulk-keeper, who, by aid of a. lantern, perceived that the man was clinging to a rope, which was attached to one of the boats. She placed a ladder over the eide and managed to get the injured man aboard. He was laid in a bunk, and at first did not complain of being hurt much. ,Yester.day morning, however, he said he felt pams in his chest. Dr. Clark, of the R.M.S. Arawa, was summoned, and ordered Swanwick to the hospital, where he was found to be suffering from three broken ribs. 'But for 'the prompt action of Mm. Keegan, in , all probability hb .would have Tost bis life.