18 NOVEMBER 1911, Page 17

A confusing dispute has arisen between the Persian and Russian

Governments over the placing of Persian Treasury gendarmes on the property of Shua-es-Sultaneh, brother of the ex-Shah, at Teheran. The Persian Government alleged that Shua-es-Sultaneh was implicated in the invasion by the ex-Shah, and Mr. Shuster, the Treasurer-General, was in- structed to send gendarmes to seize the property. According to the Persian account, certain foreign interests in the pro-

perty were to be carefully safeguarded. The Russian Consul- General, however, threatened to fire on the Persian gendarmes, and drove them off. The Russian Minister disavowed the action of the Consul-General, but when an appeal was made to St. Petersburg the Russian Government supported the Consul-General. On the ground that the interests of Russian subjects were affected, the Russian Government demanded an apology from the Persian Foreign Minister within forty-eight hours. The Times correspondent, who evi- dently thinks that justice is on the Persian side, said that this action had caused unbounded surprise. The whole Persian Cabinet resigned. On Friday morning it was stated that Russia is sending troops to Kazvin. If there is a misunder- standing, as the Times correspondent believes, our representa- tives should be able to play some part in removing it. It is precisely the advantage of the Anglo-Russian Convention that it gives us some basis of intervention, whereas without the Convention we should have none, whatever Russian conduct might be.