In the House of Lords on Tuesday Lord Curzon revealed
some very interesting and satisfactory facts, about Persia, of which the nation has hitherto heard nothing. Starting with a force of some eight hundred men,. Sir Percy Sykes had marched to Ispahan, and finally to Teheran—about a thousand miles in all—through most difficult country, and in parts under dangerous conditions. As a result Sir Percy Sykes had established order over a wide area, and had secured in power- a Government friendly to the Allies. The principal object in view now is to form a military gendarmerie in Southern Persia, under the Persian Government, which will be commanded by British officers with Indian experience. The force is at present about five thousand strong, and it will ultimately number eleven thousand. A similar gendarmerie is being organized among the Bakhtiari. Sir Percy Sykes hopes before long-to march 1 from Shiraz, where he now is, and clear out various nests of brigands. In the East of Persia Major Keith has done work similar to that of Sir Percy Sykes. Summing up the whole situation in the Middle East, Lord Curzon said that although there was still cause for some t anxiety, ho hoped the worst was over, and that. the great chain of German ambition stretching frout.Europe to_Asia. had been. twisteda aside, if not broken.
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