A VISIT TO PERSIA. DING 
There is also in the reserve store a battery of six mountain guns of 
the Austrian pattern with the necessary saddlery and equipment, these 
guns, also those for the Field Artillery, were purchased in Austria ; 
the guns and stores are in good order and shew that much care 
is expended on them. The most modern form of artillery to be 
seen in the reserve store is a battery of four Maxim-Nordenfeldt 
guns, purchased last year in Hngland. The storemen in charge of 
these guns are thoroughly conversant with tke manipulation of the 
somewhat complicated breech action and fittings ; none of these guns 
have as yet been issued to the army, so the number of men who under- 
stand their working is limited. There isa very decided tendency on the 
part of the Persian War Office to order from abroad, guns, ammunition 
and military stores of a modern type which are intended to be kept in 
store more for the sake of display than for every day use. ‘This is 
particularly the case in the matter of the more modern small-arms, 
large numbers of which are in store, while some of the regular infantry 
and most of the irregular levies are still armed with the brown Bess. 
The reserve of small-arms is considerable, but it is composed of a 
very mixed assortment of weapons. Austrian arms have been largely 
purchased and there are now 50,000 Werndl rifles in reserve. ‘The 
Werndl may be considered as the breech-loading rifle in general use 
with the regular infantry, a very small portion being still armed with 
muzzle-loaders, although the greater part of the irregular levies are 
still thus armed. 
There are also in reserve 5,000 Mannlicher repeating rifles, lately 
purchased in Austria, but no issue of them whatever has as yet been 
made nor have any of the infantry been trained to their use. For all 
practical purposes these rifles may be considered as forming the 
ornamental part of the armament of the army, over the purchase of 
which a certain amount of profit has undoubtedly found its way into 
the pockets of the officials who arranged for the supply. These rifles 
help to make a show on the occasion of Royal visits or when foreigners 
are permitted to inspect the Arsenal. ‘They afford a chance of 
demonstrating the progress that is being made in the Persian Army, 
but practically the Mannlichers may be consideed useless, as none of 
the troops have been trained to their use. 
In the reserve stores are 5,000 Berdan carbines, the weapon with 
which the cavalry are now armed. ‘The introduction of this rifle is, of 
course, due to the influence of the Russian officers who have charge of 
the Cossack modelled regiments. There are also a considerable number 
of Winchester repeating carbines, intended for the cavalry, which, 
with the addition of 5,000 Martini rifles, purchased from the Spring- 
field Small-Arms Company, complete the reserve supply of modern 
small-arms. 
The ammunition in reserve for the above is said to be ample, but in 
such matters it would not be wise to take for granted everything which 
one hears. ‘The difficulty and confusion which must arise in the issue 
of such a mixed assortment of ammunition as would be required by 
troops in the field is too apparent. This complication is particularly 
