History of the Parsis : including their manners, customs, religion and present position : with coloured and other illustrations : in two volumes

CHAP. II.] FINAL APPEALS. Wei

the Parsi deputation for the presentation of the memorial :“ BUCKINGHAM PALACE, 5th July 1873.

“Tam commanded by His Majesty the Shah to acknowledge the receipt of your memorials, praying for the application of measures which are calculated to improve the condition of the Zoroastrians in Persia.

“His Majesty will give this subject his best attention on his return to Persia, and if he finds that your co-religionists are subject to any undue severities, he will take care that redress is afforded them.

“His Majesty is aware of the high character which is borne by the Parsi community both in England and India, and he is glad that he numbers among his own subjects so many members of that enterprising and loyal race.

“His Majesty is gratified by the expression of your good wishes in regard to him.

(Signed) “MALCOLM.

“To NAoROzZJI FARDUNSI, Esq.,

15 Salisbury Street, Strand.”

But in all Eastern countries it requires a long time to eradicate abuses which have existed for centuries. The Parsis, therefore, seeing that nothing had been gained though much time had elapsed since the receipt of the above reply, and encouraged by the promise of His Majesty to redress the wrongs of his Zoroastrian subjects, persistently forwarded further representations to the Persian court. They also addressed an appeal to the British ambassador at Teheran through the Political Department of the Government of Bombay and the Calcutta Foreign Office, whose secretary, Sir Alfred Lyall, being then on a visit to Bombay,