The Times of Saturday last publishes from a correspondent at
Teheran an account of a singular warning sent by the Russian Legation direct to the Persian National Assembly. There has been much disorder on the Russo-Persian frontier, and the Christian population of the province of Azerbaijan recently appealed to the Russian Consular authorities at Tabriz for protection. This led to the action of the Legation. The Memorandum announced that if the Persian authorities were unable themselves to quell the disturbances, it might be necessary for Russia to intervene with troops in her own interests. The President of the National Assembly, while acknowledging the friendly spirit which no doubt inspired the Russian Legation, suggested that the Memorandum should be made less minatory in form. The President is even stated to have reminded the Russian dragoman—and certainly this was an obvious and legitimate retort—that a state of Con- stitutional transition had been known to produce similar disorders in Russia, as in the Caucasus and in Baku, where Persian subjects had suffered. The dragoman then took the Memorandum back to the Russian Minister, with what result is not yet known. We have no sympathy with those who see in this incident, significant though it be, the firstfruits of the Anglo-Russian Agreement. The effect of the Agreement, we are convinced, will be to restrain Russia in the Middle East, not to encourage her in aggression.
