We English are sometimes a little absurd. We go every-
where, exploit everything, come out of every quarrel with our hands full, and then if anybody else does anything, even a beneficial thing, we stand and swear at large. Teheran has long wanted a smooth road to the Caspian, distant about 125 miles, and the Persians, having no money for public works, are incompetent to build it. A Russian railway con- tractor has accordingly agreed to build it, recouping himself by tolls and, apparently by some grants of land upon the sides of the road. This is at once denounced as an "intrigue" on the part of the Russian Government, the road is declared to menace Teheran, and the British Minister is adjured to inter- fere to prevent it. There is no fairness in such opposition. It may be just to fight Russia for Persia, though we doubt the policy of the effort ; but to prevent Persia from benefiting by Russian applications of capital to beneficial works is pure oppression. We are always buying permission to " open-up " rivers and roads from the Persian Gulf, and they would all facilitate an invasion. The whole pother is nonsense. The Persians have a right to improve their own country if they like, and the wealth they will get from decent roads will help them to resist Russia and incline them to resist much more than a few miles of rugged country will. Such criticisms really justify the otherwise absurd charge of hypocrisy so often brought against the English.
