The special correspondent of the Times at Tabriz reports in
Wednesday's paper that the arrival of Ramadan has made no difference to the situation there, and that fighting continues. For nearly five months, as be says, the Nationalists have successfully defied the Shah, and now the rigorous winter of the Azerbaijan province is at hand. During this time the heterogeneous force of brigands who are gathered outside the city in the name of the Shah will, of course, disappear. Before they can come back next spring the resistance of Tabriz will be extolled far and wide, and will be a great incentive to the Constitutional cause. The Nationalist leaders at Tabriz declare that they will disarm only on a joint guarantee by all the Legations at Teheran that the Mejliss shall be reopened on European lines. Joint action by Great Britain and RusSia only will be repudiated. The Tabriz anjuman has issued an appeal to the world in French and Turkish for sympathy in the Constitutional movement. It is an interesting proof of the dovetailing of the various movements in the East that this appeal was printed in Constantinople. Telegraphing on Wednesday, the same correspondent says that the Russian Consul-General has offered to mediate between the Royalists and the Nationalists. The latter have received his advances very coldly, as he is believed to have played rather a sinister part in the interests of the Shah. But his action may mean that be has knowledge of concessions which the Shah at last feels forced to make. The correspondent thinks it improbable that Tabriz will disarm in any case.
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