The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1885-03-28 00:00:00

THE THREATENED WAR

WITH RUSSIA.

ACTIVE PREPARATIONS IN ENG-

LAND AND INDIA.

THE RESERVES CALLED OUT.

CRITICAL SITUATION,

[ REUTER'S TELEGRAM.]
BOMBAY, Thursday.
The Duke of Connaught's return to
Europe has been indefinitely postponed, his
Royal Highness having obtained leave to
stay in India should the negotiations be-
tween England and Russia on the Afghan
boundary question fall through.
Sir Donald Stewart, Commander-in Chief
in India, will take the command of the
Quetta force.
The difficulty of transport which arose
owing to the number of camels sent to the
Soudan for the use of the British army here
is being overcome by the supply of mules
obtainable from Burmah.

VIENNA, Thurclay.
Advices from Constantinople state that the
prolongation of Hassan Fehmy Pasha's stay
in London is attributed to a belief enter-
tained by the Porte that the complications
in Afghanistan are likely to bring about an
alliance between Tutkey and England.

The Press Association says :—The announcement
made in the Houses of Parliament on Thursday
afternoon that her Maj-lity had decided to call out
the Army Reserves and Mititia for permanent service
created a considerable amount of excitement in
London, especially in military circles, where, how
ever, such a step had been expect- d, and, in fact,
the knowledge tut the Royal Message would be
i.rotrulgated prevaiby3 emong military officials
ceveral hours before the announcement was made in
Parlistnen,. It is seven yeari all but a week since
a similar Royal Message was read in both Houses,
the, occasion then being the crisis in the negotiations
between England and Russia on the subject of the
threatened occupation of C.ns:antinople by the
army of the Grand Duke Nicho'as. The Queen's
Message was read in both Houses on April 2nd,
1878, the rtason for the step being therein stated as
" the present state of ptialic affairs in the East and
the necessity in connection therewith of taking;
steps for the nanintsnanse of peace and for the pro-
t,oction ~f the interests of the empire." It is ex 7
p-et.e I that- th cryiug out of tnis step in the p-e-
-s..nt in,tAnc • will enable tie War Offleo to despatch
I a substantial reinforcement to India in response t,)
I a request from the Viceroy for more British troops.
Thpt.e reinforcements Ncoil I be employed to 611
p:aces in the garrisons of th Lidinn E•opire vac tied
by the concontratton of an A rny Corps at Q ietta
and Raved Pindi. The folio • lag is :bo txt of the
Royal Menage read in the Ll•itoes of l'arli anent :
" V.R. The expenditure and demands un the mili-
tary resources of ILT Majesty for the protection of
the interests of the Empire having consituted, in
the opinion of her Majesty, a case of ,great enters-
ency within the m-aning of the Acts of Th.i.liam•int
in that belief her M.jewy deems it pi o,?ee to i:ro-
vide additional means for her military service; a::d,
therefore, in pursuance of thase Acts, her Maje-ty
thought it right to communicate with the House of
Lords that her Majesty is about to cause her

Reserve force and her Militia force, or such part
thereof ai her Nlajesty;shall from time to time think
necessary, to be called out for permanent service."
In anticipation of the calling out of the men of the
first-class Army Reserve, the Militia authorities at
Chelsea Barracks, the ben,Aptarters of the Army
Reserve in the Metro have during the pait, row
days been getrinz alt s ilable ap4re quarters rcaly
for occupation. A large anriunt of milititry clothing
has been put into store at the hart a-ks. An order
was received at ‘Voo!wic'i on Thursday frJin the
War Ol&fe th :t the (-Ice., .d. Royal Artillery oqic,:r:
now undergoing instraet io t should be dish in:A,
and directing them to join their batteries at Once.
A large proportion of them are - detit'l..d for s:-1 vice
in India, and will procee imme irately.
Large. quantities of reserve cartridges, shot, and
shell ate being prepared at Woolwich for despatch
to Portsmouth, Chataam, :and ICeyhani, for ships
ordered to be got ready for active:service. Seamen,
gunners, blue jackets, and stokers will he drawn
from the reserve and steam guardships, on bond
which all leave of absence has been stopßel. The
Peninsular and Oriental CompaaY's steamer Potinah
lying at the Royal Albert Docks, Woolwich. is wi-
der orders to sail at twelv 3 hoursimotice with tr, op:
to whatever de :inatton required. At the dockyards
of Chatham and Portsmouth activity is apparent in
the expeditien with which unfinished vessels are
being prepared for commission. At Portsra nth
the Mercury, steel corvette, will be put by° com-
mission on Monoay n.xt, and other vessels of the
first diVis;on Steam Reserve are daily expecting
orders to prepare for sea. A;: Chatham the troop-
ship Orontes is being rapidly prepared for service,
being now wider repair. All the Martini-Henry
rides in stock at the armouries throughout the king-
dom have been ordered to be returned to the Tower '
of London immediately to be examined and de-
spatithed for the use of troops in India.
The number of troops which will be despatched
to India has not been officially notified, but it was
rumoured at Aldershot on Thursday;that orders had
been issued from the War Office for the concentra-
tion of an army of 15,000 men from various parts
of the country for despatch to India, and a similar
rumour was current at Woolwich.

It is rstood that the Government do not at
present contemplate calling out the whole of the
Army and Navy Reserves, but only in the first
instance about 20,000 nun of the first-class Army
Reserve, and probably 6,000 or 6,000 of the lkfilitia
Reserve. The Army Reserve now numbers in all
36,214 and the Millti4 Reserve 30,131, making a
total of close upon 70,000 efficient soldiers who are
available for service at any moment. About three
eks ago Parliament received formal authority
from the Queen to sitspAid the transference of sol-
diers ft.om the army to the Reserve, and also autkor
ising the embodiment of certain regiments of Militia
It is not improbable that the Government will be
able on Mooday to announce an intention of still
further utiti-ing the sorviees of the Militia.