396 A HISTORY OF PERSIA. it a naval station. This measure had alarmed the Persian Government, who anticipated greater danger from the establishment of the Kussians on an island so near to the Persian mainland, than they did from any amount of Turkoman depredation. Every species of remonstrance had been had recourse to in order to induce the self-invited and unwelcome guests of Persia to take their departure ; but these protests and remonstrances had not been followed by any indication on the part of the Eussian authorities to comply with the demand now made of them. The Persian ministers had at one time been told in reply that the occupation of the island had been a necessary consequence of the Shah's request for Eussian naval aid ; at another time, they had been reproached with ingratitude and folly in not appreciating the value of the assistance gratuitously given by Eussia in putting a stop to Turkoman piracy and devastation. That the presence of Eussian ships in the southern waters of the Caspian sea is highly beneficial to the interests of humanity, cannot be questioned ; but, on the other hand, the tenure by which Eussia holds the island of Ashoradeh is as illegal as are the proceedings of the pirates which she came there to check. Eegardless of public opinion, and of Persian appeals to right and to international law, the Eussians now look upon Ashoradeh as being as much a portion of the Czar's dominions as Bakoo or Derbend, and on this island all the buildings which are neces- sary for the permanent accommodation of a considerable force have been erected. The possession of Ashoradeh is most beneficial to Eussian interests, for other reasons than that it affords a suitable station for the ships employed in maintaining the police of the sea. From
