§ Mr. O'GRADYasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he had information that the Russian troops encamped at Kazvin were recruiting soldiers in the country; and, if so, whether this was contrary to the agreement respecting Persian affairs?
§ Sir E. GREYI have received no such information, and have no reason to credit any such report.
§ Mr. O'GRADYasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he was aware that a conflict had taken place between Russian and Persian troops at the village of Charkar, near to Zanján, arising out of the conduct of one Dáráb Mirzá, an officer in the service of the Russian Government who had fortified the village of Charkar as a preliminary to attacking Zanján with 800 armed men; whether he was aware that the Persian Government had despatched troops to stop the misdeeds of Dáráb Mirzá, and that these troops were attacked by Russian troops which were sent to arrest this man because he had broken leave of absence given him to visit Russia; whether any report had reached the Foreign Office from the British Consul that in the conflict the Persian General Ali Khán and another person were killed; and, if so, would inquiries be made into the whole matter, and steps taken suggesting to the Government of Russia that Dáráb Mirzá might be recalled and dealt with for armed raiding in a neighbouring and friendly country?
§ Mr. O'GRADYalso asked the right hon. Gentleman whether he had any information that one Dáráb Mirzá, an officer in the service of the Russian Government, left Kazvin, where he was attached to the Russian troops encamped there, and went to the neighbouring town of Zanján with an armed band of 800 men, 818 declaring that as the envoy of the Tsar and the deposed Shah he was commissioned to put into force new laws, and to specially raise the town of Rasht and subsequently to march on to Tehran; and, if so, had any steps been taken in this matter by the British Government?
§ Sir E. GREYThe account of this incident given in the hon. Member's two questions, which I will answer together, does not agree in some material respects with the reports received from His Majesty's Representatives on the spot. According to the information in my possession, Dáráb Mirzá, a member of a branch of the Persian reigning house which has been settled in Russia for two generations, and has acquired Russian nationality, entered the Russian army, and was till the date of the incident in question an officer in the Cossack Regiment stationed at Kazvin. Early in May he obtained leave of absence, and shortly after he left his colonel received a letter from him tendering his resignation, and announcing that he was about to head a movement with the object of replacing Mohammed Ali Shah on the throne. He then, with the assistance of an official of the ex-Shah's court, succeeded in collecting a considerable force of malcontents by falsely alleging that he was backed by Russia. With these he attacked the town of Zinján, but was twice repulsed with loss. Meanwhile, acting on instructions from the Russian Minister at Tehran, the officer commanding the Russian force at Kazvin sent sixty men to arrest Dáráb Mirzá wherever he might be found. Unfortunately, when the Governor of Zinján sent to the surrounding districts for reinforcements to defend the town, he was told that 300 Russians were blocking the road, and the Persian forces hesitated to advance. This misunderstanding, however, was soon cleared up. When the Russian Cossacks arrived at Zinján, and, after some parley with the Governor, were allowed to enter the town, Dáráb Mirzá surrendered to them without resistance, and was taken to Kazvin as a prisoner. A more recent report from His Majesty's Chargé d'Affaires at Tehran stated that the party returning with him were attacked on their way by unknown assailants. There is obviously no reason for suggesting that Dáráb Mirzá should be recalled by the Russian Government, as they have already arrested him.