The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1885-05-09 00:00:00

TURKEY.

Saturday's telegrams front St. Petersburg stated:
The German St. Petersburg Gazette says that it learns
from a well.-informed quarter that peace may be
regarded as assured, and that all the diplomatic
action which is still proceeding on the English side
is merely a retrograde movement to which it
is sought to give the most decent character
possible. The journal adds a comment express-
ing doubt whether the situation may already be
viewed in this abgolutely favourable manner. From
Brussels on Saturday a Reuter's message said: The
Russian organ Le Nord to-day publishes several
articles against the British proposal to submit the
Penjdeh incident to arbitration. It believes that a
Government which respects itself cannot submit to so
impracticable a demand, and declares it to be impos-
sible to collect the elements of an equitable inquiry—
that is to say, competent judges and impartial wit-
nesses.

The London Echo, in its Special Edition of Satur-
day night, had the following: "We are informed that
a secret treaty has been concluded between England
and Turkey, by which England is authorised, imme-
diately war breaks out between this country and
Russia, to occupy Constantinople, and send her ships
of war into the Dardanelles. Sealed orders have
been sent to the military authorities in Egypt to this
effect, and these are the 'sealed orders' referred to
in Friday morning's papers. We give this informa-
tion under reserve, merely saying that it comes to us
from a quarter that should be vrell informed."
The following is the despatch of the Standard's
special correspondent with Sir Peter Lumsden, dated
Tirprd, April 30 (via, Mesheet, Sunday) : The dam at
Karabund, seventy miles north of Sarakhs, has burst.
Great damage has been done to the surrounding dis-
trict, the country being flooded for miles round. The
Russians are making strenuous efforts to repair the
breach. The Russians have made a purchase of
4000 numdahs for horses. The following facts may
be useful in throwing light upon the disputed question
of the proprietorship of Penjdeh. Up to sixty years
back Penjdeh was occupied by the Jemsidis and
Hazarahs, and the Herat Government always had re-
presentatives there. When the Arsari Turcornans
settled there theyalways paid tribute to Herat. These
were afterwards followed by the Salor and Sank
Turcomans, and these also paid tribute. Indeed,
Penjdeh has, since the days of Nadir Shah,
always been acknowledged as firming part of the
Government of Herat, and sixty years ago Derwerk
Khan was its Governor under the Governor of Herat.
From 1881 to 1884 Osman Khan was Governor. In
1884 Jemsidi was chief Governor, and when he left
Penjdeh for Khiva the tribute of Penjdeh to Herat
was paid through the Hazara Chief Kilanan. Since
1881 Herat has kept at Penjdeh a body of fifteen
Afghan soldiers as an escort for the Governor. Todd's
Map of the Province of Herat, as governed by Yar
Mahomrned in 1840, includes Penjdeh and Pul
khatun. In the face of these facts there can be no
question whatever that Penjdeh is, and has been for
a very long period, an integral part of the Afghan
Province of Herat.