The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1885-07-21 00:00:00

[NOLAND AND RUSSIA.

liii ZULVIt'AII 111,41.1.17.

The .%iiesw has prnt out a ',reclamation in Herat.
aunouncitig that he has received from the Gevernment
of India the dignity .4 a Grand Commander of the
Star India, and declaring that in virtue of thia
he is entitled to the aid of an army from India when-
ever militaty lirlp is necessary for the defence of his
interests. The C. Nitioction betw.sli the honour don,,
1.. the Ammer and his claims on the resources of the
Indian Empire is, of course, fanciful ; but the impor-
tance attachel by out ally to the distinction con
ferns' on him is noteworthy. To bring the signik
amp of the Installation thoroughly home to the minds
of the people of Herat, the Ameer has directed that
11..' event shall he celelwated by a general illumina
Con, and has ordered a salute of hundred and one
guns to he tired.
The Russian forces have messed the from
Pul-i-Khatuti b. the Permian side ..1 the river. They
, have n it only taken possession of a OITA eternal char
to the stream, but kayo pushed inland and nocupest
positions fully ten mills to the west of the mei.
While the Conimander at l'ul-i.Kltatun is thus engaged
in deliberate violation of the dominions, the
authorities at Penj•doh are still face to face with a
grave epidemic. The mortality among the soldiers IS
great.

RUSSIAN DESIGNS ON HERAT.
Falun, Saturday. It is stated that reports received
by the French Foreign Office leave no doubt of the
intention of Russia to seize Herat.

1•ONDON, Sundity. —The Atil;a.n. fr..ntier negotia
[ions are being carried on in a friendlr spirit. Mr.
Stephen wax at the Foreign Office all day on
Sateenlay lending his aasustance in the deliberation,
rempecting the Zultikar difficulty.

THE STATE OF TIIINGS AT HER.I.T
Till a few week,. ago nothing WIN known in
England of the true nude. of affair* at 'Herat ; for no
European had %inked the place for many yearn before
some of our officers arrived them lately. It in now
known that the fortrenn in in • much more defensible
condition than it WWI aiqipiard to be. The hill, about
it, though very IlrAr. are yet too dintant to give)
command of the place with nuch artillery an the
Ranniann could bring up. The ditches are in good
condition, and are • very formidable mean* of defence.
After the l'enjeleli incident, about 2,000 men were
ganged out to strengthen the works. At that time
there were 5,000 Afghan *defiers in the place; and it
is reported that they have been considerably rein-
forced. trisips seem to be animated by a fierce
npirit of resistance. With a few weeks of vigorous
preparation, and a few convoys of military supply
from Calnil (where there in plenty of it, it ia the
opinion of competent iigiceni that the place could be
held for live or monthi against attack. Of food
supply, itc., there in an unfailing abundance in one of
the richent valleys in the world ; and there is a large
poput.rion to eall upon. Apart from all political
considerations, it is the ntrength of the poeition and
the aliunilance of supply that make the Kunnians
keen ti possess thi• place ; and, la,iales, it would giv,,
them a great command of the COUltllelrCe 111 thoin
regions.