itary service we will see
what an enlightened Parsi, who has in this case made himself the
spokesman of his co-religionists, has to say. As a matter of fact,
the Persians in olden times had distinguished themselves amongst all
by their valour and courage. In the inscription engraved on his tomb
at Nakch-i-Roustam, King Darius might well say, with a just feeling of
pride, that they had only to look at the images of those who supported
his throne to know into what distant places the Persian soldier had
carried his arms! The famous struggles maintained by the Ardeshirs,
the Shapoors, and the Noshirvans show that this warlike temper had not
subsided. Why then should the descendants of such heroes abstain from
taking part in military exercises and in defending the country [81]?

Mr. Dosabhai Framji Karaka gives the following explanation of this
aversion. [82] In the first place he indignantly repudiates the
theory put forward by certain European authors that it proceeds purely
from religious motives, on account of the worship they are supposed
to pay to fire, which would prevent them from handling a cannon or
shouldering a gun. Nothing at all in fact prevents them from making
use of fire in the handling of offensive and defensive weapons. At
the time of certain riots in Bombay, gunsmiths' shops were seen to be
rapidly emptied by the Parsis, and thirty-five years back they were
enthusiastic in joining the first volunteer movement; but in 1877
only Europeans were invited to join. Still, protests Mr. D. F. Karaka,
there are certainly no natives more eager than the Parsis to share in
the defence of British interests. In several places they have joined
the volunteers and have obtained much-envied distinctions. [83] They
are able to attain a high degree of skill in the handling of firearms;
for example, Mr. Dorabji Padamji, son of the late Khan Bahadur Padamji
Pestonji, is one of the best shots in India. [84]

The most serious consideration which prevents a Parsi from enrolling
himself in the army seems therefore, to us, to be the insufficiency
of the pay. We only repeat it: it is a Parsee who says this. We
have no desire either to weaken their motives or to exaggerate their
grievances. We are well aware that these are very delicate questions,
and require to be treated with care and skill, since they concern
the relations of devoted subjects with a government of which they
are proud. On the other hand, when we take into considera