The Russian journalists—and therefore, it is supposed, the Russian Foreign
Office7—are seriously angry because the Shah has signed a treaty with England opening the Karun, a river in South Persia, with a navigable course of a hundred and fifty miles, to the steamers and trade of all nations. They say Sir Drummond Wolff has jockeyed their Ambassador, and that the Shah, who ought to be a Russian dependant, has acted behind the back of the Russian Ministry. They there- fore demand that a Russian Consul-General shall be allowed to reside at Meshed, a privilege hitherto refused. The Shah has granted this request, and for the moment the storm may die away ; but it reveals ideas in Russian circles of much importance. This journal has steadily maintained for years that the true policy for Russia would be to annex Persia, and that whenever her Court decided to suspend pre- parations in the West, it would gratify the Army by this enterprise. That time may be coming nearer than we think.
