224 PURCHASE OF CAMELS FOR MILITARY PURPOSES. 



Toprackale, and another over the Pasha of Bagdad at Solimania. 

 These successes were attributed to the new military organization, and 

 with justice. The zemboureks, notwithstanding the signal services 

 they had rendered in bygone days, were passed over, being used only 

 to announce by their noisy discharges the ceremonial receptions of 

 the court at Teheran.* 



The contempt with which the artillerists of the new system regarded 

 these small cannon which had taken no part in their victorious ex- 

 peditions ; the total neglect in repairing the old pieces ; and above 

 all, the irregular payment of the zembouretchis, were the causes of 

 the dissolution of the corps. The men composing it sought other 

 occupations more or less honorable, employing the camels in trans- 

 porting merchandise, and for the most part, uniting in all the sedi- 

 tions and revolts which broke out in Teheran, 



Such was the low condition of this arm when Hadji-Mirza-Agassi was 

 appointed grand vizier by Mohammed Shah, the father of the present 

 king. This minister, who joined rare ability to unlimited power, 

 perceived, thanks to the correctness of his judgment, that it was not 

 his policy to attempt conquests over civilized powers, but to fortify 

 himself at home. With this object he centralized his power by 

 drawing around the person of the king the Il-Khain, (chiefs of 

 tribes,) who are always insubordinate, and who seize upon the slightest 

 opportunities to raise the standard of revolt or to plunder. He built 

 an expensive arsenal in the capital itself, Teheran ; cast a large num- 

 ber of field-pieces of every calibre, mounting them upon carriages of 

 the new model, and did not forget the useful zembourek. Although 

 he expended large sums for the arsenal, which was his particular 

 passion, he clearly perceived that a large standing ;irmy would be too 

 onerous a burden for Persia. He felt the impossibility of paying and 

 clothing it regularly in a state in which the taxes were irregularly 

 collected ; and in addition, saw that it would withdraw from husbandry 

 a portion of labor very necessary in a country having no other re- 

 source than agriculture, and where the half only of the population 

 were engaged in it.f This minister said to me one day, conversing 

 freely, "the Persian foot soldier is brave to rashness, temperate, and 

 a good marcher ; a hunter by nature, he is intelligent to wiliness, 

 and active from necessity." He added : "To keep up an army ready 

 to march upon an emergency, I shall retain the organization of the 

 army, such as it is, (composed of eighty-two battalions ;) but instead 

 of having them always under arms, they shall only be brought to- 

 gether from time to time for exercise. If invaded, I shall put good 

 arms into their hands, saying to them : March to defend your religion 



* M. Taucoigne, attached to the embassy of General Gardane in 1808, who aided the first 

 attempts at reform in Persia by the French officers, Generals Taboier, Reboul, Lamy, and 

 Verdier, was particularly well acquainted with the chief of the zembouretchis, Mahommed- 

 Khan, whose licentious habits deprived him of any influence at court. But although the 

 opinion of this traveller is not favorable to the zembourek, he concedes, however, that it was 

 almost the only field artillery in Persia before the establishment by the French of a cannon 

 foundry at Ispahan — (Vol. ii, p. 78.) 



fThe population of Persia is divided into tats and iliats. The first have permanent 

 residences, and furnish the infantry ; the second are nomadic shepherds, and supply the 

 cavalry. 



