was not enough glass or china in the Palace, when Riza Khan stepped into it, for an ordinary tea-party, let alone for a Royal banquet. Neither was there sufficient red carpet, a vital necessity at a Persian function. However, rumour had it that several of the Legations had come to the rescue, and that all would be well when the great day arrived.

And so it has happened; if Riza had been the next and lineal descendant of Achmet Shah, the honours paid him could not have been more regal. And if there were many in Teheran who had thought and hoped that the days of Royalty were past and done with, and that a new era was about to dawn, at any rate there were bands and horses, decorations and richly dressed officials, to say nothing of the unique opportunity to gossip, idle, and relax a little from "the strict commands of the Prophet. All of which the Persians delight in.

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Anyhow, the Coronation has passed off precisely according to plan. And why not? If there were any cause for apprehension-a possible coup," for example, on the part of the ex-Shah's adherents-the powers that be took very good care to guard against it, for the city was flooded with troops, all of them well clothed and fed, and to whom not a toman was owing. And so peace and contentment, to all outward appearances, reigned supreme-certainly in so far as the Army was concerned.

As for the crowd that filled the Tup Meidan, or big square, true to national character it was as calm and reposed as ever. But that in no way indicated a lack of enthusiasm or approval of the occasion-it takes more than a Coronation to rouse a Persian to enthusiasm.

And the centre of this peaceful disturbance, Riza Khan, the Shah elect, what of him? He is a remarkable man-there is no gainsaying that. Indeed, one has only to recall his past life to realize the fact. Born some forty-eight years ago in an insignificant village in the far-away province of Mazanderan, Riza's father was what one would describe in England as an ostler, and a poor one at that. But the son had other ideas than looking after post-horses. From all accounts he was ambitious, energetic, and meant to "get on," as most people say in Europe, and as very few strive to do in Persia. Fatalism, the will of Allah, predestination, or whatever drives the ordinary Eastern to the twiddle-my-thumb attitude of mind and body was outside his composition. And so, at an early age, he left home and joined the Shah's regiment of Cossacks. A keen soldier, promotion came quick. He saw service in various punitive expeditions against unruly

tribes, always acquitting himself with distinction, until at last he reached the top of the military ladder and finally was appointed Minister of War under the ex-Shah.

As I have said, Riza Khan was always a patriot, and still more extraordinary, in a land where fatalism and egoism are the general rule, he firmly believed that, wisely directed, Persia could again become a great and powerful nation. And so he bent his energies and directed his thoughts and actions. Such a spirit at the Court of the Shah, where indolence and laissez-faire are, and have been for centuries, the order of the day, was not likely to appeal over well to the "King of Kings " and his parasites. And so matters turned out. To paraphrase an old adage, if Mahomet refused to push the mountain, the mountain would push Mahomet-and it did.

There is no doubt that several years previous to the late Shah's dethronement, affairs in Persia were decidedly bad, and they were getting worse. The tribes, particularly the Kurds, were becoming very unmanageable-murders were common, robberies a daily occurrence. A strong hand and an equally strong line of action were imperative to establish law and order. In his spare moments the Shah, in his dilatory fashion, undoubtedly did try to correct matters, but the pace was too slow for his War Minister. The result is well known. Whilst in Paris on a visit Achmet Shah was informed from Teheran that he might prolong his stay indefinitely, and that to his advantage. The Shah took the hint and Riza took the throne. According to the late Lord Curzon, who travelled through the country some twentyfive years ago, the crown jewels, as unique as they were magnificent, were worth at least three million pounds sterling. That is quite probable, though rumour has it that the ex-Shah has most of them with him now in Europe. In any case, the Teheran Treasury was closed to me three months ago "owing to extensive repairs "-which looked suspicious.

But to return to Riza Shah, as a character study, if for no other reason, he is certainly an outstanding personality. Tall-he is considerably over six feet-and broad in proportion, he seems to tower over all who come near him, a physical advantage very valuable in the East, where stature counts for so much; added to which he carries himself well. There is no stoop or shuffling in his gait: sitting or standing he never loses a fraction of his height. Of a dark complexion his features are quite ordinary. Indeed, in a crowd, but for his height he would never be noticed at all, except that

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perhaps one might ask as to who was the man with the curious eyes.

Summed up, Riza Shah is of the people, a real man to look upon. His commanding appearance is just what the Persian appreciates and looks for in a ruler. Indeed, I am prepared to state that if the physical attributes of the exShah and Riza had been reversed, the present ruler of Persia would have found it a far more difficult task to seat himself on the throne and Achmet Shah have lost it less easily. Married twice, he has one child-the Crown Prince-now a delightful little boy of seven or eight years old. I met him one morning in the Palace grounds. The most diminutive little fellow I have ever seen, a pocket edition of his father, both in cast and clothes. Followed by two attendants, he was walking sedately up and down the tiled pathway that leads to the great marble throne at the end of the garden. He wore the uniform of a Cossack, the Shah's regiment, and looked for all the world like a mechanical toy soldier.

Not content, however, with a son of his own, Riza, who is evidently fond of children, adopted another some months ago. The story goes, and I can quite believe it, that walking near Teheran one morning, he saw a woman crying near a well, who told him that rather than see her child die of hunger she had decided to end its life. Riza offered to adopt it, took it home, and has been ceaseless in his devotion ever since. With two children so near the heart and throne of the ruler Persian history may yet be repeated.

Like all really great men the new Shah has the usual mixture of courage and simplicity. Thus, for instance, the wonderful Gulistan, or Regal Palace, with its fountains and gardens and many crystal decorated rooms, is his now to enjoy. But he prefers to live in his own house on the outskirts of Teheran, which is nothing more nor less than a hideous overgrown villa. Personally, of the two alternatives, I applaud his decision, for anything more uncomfortable, garish, and distasteful than the royal residence it would be impossible to conceive. The rooms, ceilings, and walls are mirror panelled, with here and there an alcove that has been made to look like a glass grotto. Massive chandeliers, combining many colours-pink, yellow, and blue-hang from every ceiling; whilst the most forbidding furniture, sofas and chairs, covered with the brightest and most gaudy velvets, line the walls and seem to compete with the nightmare pictures in the passages and landings, too various and hideous to describe.

But the beautifying of the royal apartments does not stop here. There are clocks, large and small; massive china vases; huge ormolu tables; gramophones; mechanical toys; full-length portraits of crowned heads-notably the ex-Kaiser-as wooden as sign-boards; and oleograph pictures, too, that would disgrace any public-house in England. In short, the Shah's Palace is a warehouse of horrors. And this is where the coronation festivities have taken place. I am not surprised that Riza prefers his little home in the suburbs of the capital now that all is over. Of course he will use the palace for State functions, such, for instance, as dinner-parties, which, by the by, are exceedingly well done. As proof of his interest in such entertainments on one occasion lately, he personally superintended all the arrangements himself; the result was as stately a performance as anything done by the ex-Shah.

Surrounded by luxury, or at any rate with the opportunities of satisfying his every wish, one would not have been surprised if Riza had taken the fullest advantage of his position. As a matter of fact, he is the most temperate person imaginable. He smokes opium, as do most Persians, but never to excess. And if he does find that it goes well with some kind of spirit, he takes it because of the invigorating effects; he would be less than human if he did otherwise, for his life is a strenuous one.

As for his manners, he might be a European. It is a pity that he knows no French, but as interviews with strangers bore him to death, he is saved a deal of trouble. He talks Russian, of a kind, fluently, but no other language, with the result that he is practically cut off from private interviews with representatives of the Great Powers, except the Bolshevist minister. Still he holds his own, for in addition to being a very astute politician he has the instinct of a statesman.

But as always there is no more perilous rôle than that of a usurper-even Cromwell discovered that. It will always be so, for the position must of necessity breed envy, hatred, and malice, to say nothing of all uncharitableness. And Riza has to contend with all.

It sounds extraordinary in these days, but poisoning is still a real fear in Persia; anyhow, it is shared by the new Shah, who invariably has his meals alone, and certainly never touches a dish before it has been tasted by one of his entourage."

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Assassination is again another of his troubles. Accordingly, away from his own house a servant is always at his door, day and night.

So far neither jealousy nor fanaticism has shown itself in any concrete form. But it is there, smouldering, and can only be kept under by strong and ruthless action. The intriguer must be put out of his way, the fanatic imprisoned.

And this is precisely what is being done throughout the country to-day. There is no help for it, no other means of securing the new throne. Things being as they are, it really amounts to a continuous struggle between the powers that were " and the powers that "be." Up to the present Riza Shah has satisfied most of his friends and cowed all his opponents.

But as in all countries, and with all men, rewards for services rendered are never considered adequate. Relatives, friends, supporters, one and all, look to Riza for advancement in some form or other, and in proportion as their expectations, wishes, and demands are not satisfied, so the number of his ill-wishers increases-ill-wishers that time will convert to enemies. The process is already beginning. How could it be otherwise ?

And then, too, there are the tribes-the Backtiari, the Kurds, the men of Luristan-never too well inclined towards any ruler of Persia, always ready to show their independence who may at any moment take exception to the new order of things. Will Riza be able to hold them in check?

Again, it must be remembered that despite all the failings and shortcomings of the ex-Shah, he still has a very large following throughout the country. They are not idle these days: intrigue flourishes. There are powerful sheiks, for instance, who, although they have no particular love for Achmet Shah, particularly resent his replacement by a Cossack upstart! They argue very naturally, "If Riza, why not one of us?" And why not? If only the brave deserve the spoil, then now is the time for a display of courage. And so the ball of discontent, unrest, plots and counterplots, and covert revolution, starts rolling. Like all dynamic forces, the impetus increases in proportion as it is left unchecked. Will the new Shah be equal to the task?

And all this time there is famine in the land; poverty is rife, misery the lot of at least 30 per cent. of the population is everywhere. For abject squalor I know no other Eastern country comparable with Persia.

Such is the land, and this the people, these the conditions, that the new Shah is face to face with. If the head lies uneasy that wears a crown, Riza will never sleep. His one and only hope is the Army, and no one realizes the fact more than he does. A soldier to the backbone, he had his