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 420 A HISTORY OF PERSIA. Khan might be removed from the post of Persian secretary to the English Mission, he had himself sug- gested, in the course of a conversation on the subject, that the meerza should be sent to Sheeraz to fill the post of agent to the English mission at that place. To this post Hashem Khan was therefore appointed, in spite of the Sedr-Azem's subsequent assertion that, as he had never obtained a formal written discharge from the Shah's service, he was incapable of holding any appoint- ment under a foreign government. Upon inquiries instituted by the British Minister, it appeared that it was not the custom for the Shah's servants to obtain a written discharge on their quitting the royal service, and the Sedr-Azem himself admitted that Hashem Khan, on being refused an increase of pay, had been told that he might go to where he pleased. When, however, in the autumn of 1855 the meerza was about to proceed to fill his post, the Persian prime minister unexpectedly announced to the English envoy that the Persian government would not permit Hashem Khan to hold any appointment under the British Mission ; and he further intimated, in terms too plain to be misunder- stood, that if Hashem Khan should attempt to quit Tehran, on his way to Sheeraz, he would be seized and detained. Mr. Murray could not submit to this interference in a matter that concerned only the government of which he was the representative, and he therefore replied that should the Persian ministers cause Hashem Khan to be arrested, they must expect the same consequences as would follow the seizure of any servant or employe of his mission. Upon this the Sedr-Azem gave orders for the arrest of the wife of Meerza Hashem, and he would