TABRIZ. 
283 
to acquire a knowledge of military tactics, and the theory of fortifica¬ 
tion, which they had gleaned from French and Russian books, trans- 
slated by the Prince's order into Persian. The Minister said, that the 
Prince was the only person in Persia who had a complete set of charts, 
besides drawings of every instrument and weapon used by Europeans 
in war. He told me that they had discovered in Aderbigian mines of 
iron and brass, which, entirely by their own ingenuity, they made pro¬ 
ductive ; but that they still laboured under the greatest inconvenience 
from the want of proper artists and miners, and could not therefore de¬ 
rive the full profit which they might otherwise expect, or as yet reduce 
the price of their produce. According to the Minister, better guns are 
now cast at Tabriz than at Ispahan ; and they had invented also a small 
kind of artillery, which was sufficiently light to be carried by mules 
keeping pace with the march of their cavalry over mountains and 
difficult passes. 
When I offered to procure from England any books and other ne¬ 
cessaries to facilitate their operations and give new light to those sub¬ 
jects upon which they were imperfectly informed; the Minister replied, 
that nothing in the world could afford greater satisfaction to the Prince 
and himself; but he added, “ there is only one thing which England 
“ will keep from our knowledge, as she has done from every other 
“ nation, the art of building ships." I assured him that England 
would furnish Persia not with instructions only, but with masters, as 
she had done for Turkey and Russia. He answered, “ all this may be 
“ very true; but there is still an art which she possesses in matters of 
“ navigation which she will never disclose to any nation. If it be not 
“ so, how is it possible," he continued, “ that her ships should be so 
“ superior to all others, and that none have ever yet been able to de- 
“ feat her in any combat at sea." I answered, that her superiority 
consisted not in the ships, but, by the blessing of God, in the men that 
were in them ; that, in fact, in building ships we were equalled, if not 
exceeded, by the French; and that the superiority could not rest in the 
vessels, since a considerable proportion of our navy consisted of prizes 
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