The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1885-04-25 00:00:00

SIR PETER LTIMSDEN'S REPLY TO

GENERAL KOMAROFF.

The following is a copy of a telegram from
Lieutenant General Sir Peter Lumsden relative to
the fight between the Russians and the Afghans at
Ak Tepe, which was presented to Parliament on
Tuesday night:

SIR P. LIIMSDEN TO EARL GRANVILLE.
TIRPUL, April 17, 1885'
Your lordship's telegram of 13th.
General Komaroff's account of attack on Penjdeh
is considered incorrect:

1. General Komaroff says: "On 25th March one
detachment approached Tash Kepri on our bank of
Kushk. Reply: Tash Kepri is Turki for Pul-i-
Khisti. General Komaroff's claim to either bank of
Kushk is untenable. The left bank of Kushk had
always been held by Afghans, and was never in
Russian occupation. On 20th February Russians
located an outpost of twenty-five Yulatan Turkomans
at Kizil-Tepe, a mound one mile north of Pul-i-
Khisti, and about same distance from nearest point
of Kushk River, and from its junction with
Murgbab. This had always remained extreme limit
of Russian advance within their line of vedettes. The
Russian cavalry detachment allude& :co did advance
against Pul-i-Khisti on 25th, but retired before reach-
ing that place when warned by Afghan Commander,
as on 20th February.
2. General Komaroff states :—" Near the bridge I
found an intrenchment • occupied by Afghans."
Reply: This position was occupied by Afghans
previous to General Komaroff's advance, and to the
agreement mentioned in your lordship's telegram of
17th Mach. _ _

3. General Komaroff says :—" In order to avoid a
conflict, I placed my troops five versts from Afghan
position." Reply: This can only refer to main
body, as Russian troops were in Kizil-Tepe, which is
one mile from Afghan position, and the Russian
vedettes were considerably in advance of that.
4. General Komaroff says that:—" When Afghans
had convinced themselves that we had no intention
of attacking them, they began each day to come
nearer to our camp." Reply: So far from Afghans
being convinced of General Komaroff's innocent
intentions, the continued and irritating daily
attempts to excite hostility convinced Afghans of
Russian determination to provoke conflict, and
induced what appeared to them the military neces-
sity of extending their defensive position.
5. General Komaroff states: "On 27th March
Afghans sent against one company, which was
charged with covering a reconnaissance, three com-
panies with a cannon and some cavalry." Reply: A
reconnaissance in force itself. meant hostile intention.
A Russian company meant 250 men—more than
equivalent to three Afghan companies aggregating
295 men. On 27th two, bodies of Russian troops
simultaneously advanced, Colonel Alikhanoff with
cavalrypushed past Pul-i-Khisti, and Russian infantry
penetrated the right flank of Afghan position on right
bank of Murghab. Colonel Alikanoff only retired
when intercepted by Afghan cavalry, some four miles
in rear of Afghan position, and Russian infantry only
when Afghan commander drew up three companies
and warned Russian officer that if he advanced
further he would be fired upon.
General Komaroff's Chief of Staff, at interview of
29th, called Colonel Alikhanoff's advance merely a
pleasure trip, bat was informed that the Afghan
Commander viewed it in the most serious light...

6. General Komaroff states: "Afghan audacity
and arrogance increased by degrees." Reply: It may
have been so, but, if so, it was entirely caused by
Russian action, as the Afghans did all they could to
avoid a collision, and it was solely owing to their
patience and forbearance during two months of inces-
sant irritation that peace has been preserved so long.
The Afghan Commander's courteous repl7 of 29th to
General Komaroff's ultimatum proves his wish to the
last to avoid conflict.

7. General Komaroff says:' "On 28th Afghans
occupied a height which commanded left flank of our
cami.: began to throw up intrenchments there, to
establish a post of cavalry behind our line, and
pliced a picket at gun-shot distance from our ford."
Reply: It was the case that the Afghan Commander
did on 28th, after the occurrence of the hostile recon-
naissance on27th, place a post of observation on the hills
on the right bank of Murghab, to give notice of any
like fresh Russian advance on that flank, but this
post was wididrawn the next day.
8. General Komaroff says: "On 29th I sent to
Afghan commander an energetic summons, &c., and I
received an answer that by the advice of the English
he refused to retire across the Kushk." Reply: The
fact itself is reported to me to be totally incorrect,
and nowhere in the Afghan commander's reply is any
such statement. On the contrary, the wording is
distinct. "I have duly received your letter regard-
ing the withdrawal of certain pickets. As I had
received orders from the Governor of Herat to con-
sult Captain Yate, who has been deputed to Penjdeh
by Sir Peter Lumsden, in such matters, I showed him
your letter. Captain Yate afterwards had an inter-
view with Colonel Zakrchewski, and informed me of
the conversation which had taken place between them.
Be it known to ye that I must loyally obey the orders
I have received from his Highness the Ameer. I
can in no way do anything contrary to the orders of
m 7 Sovereign. Of course, in matters of detail, such
as alterations in position of advanced pickets and
vedettes posted in front of the troops, I am prepared
to come to an arrangement with ye with a view to the
avoidance of any risk of conflict."
9. General Komaroff says: "I again addressed a
private letter couched in friendly terms." Reply:
The letter in question was never seen by any officers
of the Commission, but Captain Delashoe was told
that a letter had been received a few hours before
Russian attack on 30th. I have now called on Sepeh
Salar for copy of second letter.
10. General Komaroff states: "On 30th, to support
my demands, I marched with my detachment against
the Afghan position, counting still on pacific result,
but artillery fire and cavalry attack compelled me to
accept combat." Reply: Russians advanced to attaek
of Afghan position, and of course Afghans were
obliged to defend themselves. Certainly the engage-
ment was not commenced by artillery fire, as stated
by General Komaroff, as infantry firing was heard
continually several minutes before the first gun.