430 * A HISTORY OF PERSIA. was occupied by the siege of Herat ; and the Minister, moreover, felt that should there he war with England, his services would become indispensable during its con- tinuance. But war was the worst that could come of the quarrel, and anything short of war could scarcely fail to turn to the advantage of the Sedr-Azem. In case Mr. Murray's conduct should be disowned by his Govern- ment, the Persian prime minister felt that the greatest credit would redound to himself, for having withstood the pretensions of a Frankish minister, and driven him in humiliation from his post. In order the more widely to circulate the stories which the Yizeer had put into circulation regarding Mr. Murray, Ferrukh Khan had been sent on an embassy to Constantinople and to Paris, at which places he was to endeavour to put him- self in communication with the English ambassadors, and to try and make them believe the Sedr-Azem 's version of the origin of the quarrel at Tehran. Ferrukh Khan had also received full powers for the conclusion of an arrangement of the points in difference between the Persian Government and that of the Queen. Lord Stratford de Kedcliffe, however, demanded, as one of the points to be conceded preliminary to the reestablish- ment of friendly relations between the two governments, that the Sedr-Azem should be dismissed from office ; and rather than accede to this demand, the ambassador plenipotentiary of Persia had resolved to continue his journey to Paris, in the hope of obtaining easier terms through the mediation of the Court of France. The Sedr-Azem was, however, well aware that there was no chance of the English Government consenting to resume diplomatic intercourse with Persia so long as the
