The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1885-04-18 00:00:00

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT.,

In the HOUSE OF LORDS, which reassembled en
April 13 after the Easter recess, Lord Redesdale, in
the absence of the Lord Chancellor, occupied the
Woolsack.

THE LATE EARL
_CAIRNS.

Lord Granville, referring to the recent death of Lord
Cairns, pronounced a warm tribute to his memory, his
ability as a lawyer, and his eminence as a politician.
He also read a letter from the Lord Chancellor, who
had just sustained a severe bereavement, bearing testi-
mony to the great talents and virtues of his departed
friend.

Lord Salisbury said that what the leaders of the
Opposition felt was that in the death of Lord Cairns
they had lost a friend, a counsellor, and a comrade of
many years' standing. Lord Cairns was equally great
as a lawyer, a statesman, and a legislator; and in all
these capacities his memory would live in the minds of
countrymen. None but those who had sat in council
with his noble friend could thoroughly appreciate the
inestimable value of his calm judicial mind, applied to
the most burning political questions.
Lord Coleridge also expressed his sense of the loss
the House had sustained.
_ ENGLAND AND RUSSIA.

_
In the HOUSE or COMMONS Mr. Gladstone, replying to
Mr. Ashmead-Bartlett, a propos of the recent collision
between the Russian and Afghan forces, stated that an
inquiry was going forward, which he hoped would lead
to a full and complete elucidation of the facts; but it
would be most injurious to the public interest to enter
into any discussion until the inquiry was completed.
In answer to the question which Sir S. Nortlicote had
twice asked with regard to communications between
the Government and the Viceroy of India, the Govern-
ment had now received a full report of the detailed
communic,ations which had been held by Lord Dufferin
with the Ameer of Afghanistan, especially in relation
to the recent conflict, of which the Ameer was fully
aware, and to the other questions now at issue. He
might add that those communications between Lord
Dufferin and the Ameer were fully and entirely satis-
factory. As to the report of General Komaroff to the
Russian Government, containing what was presumed
to be a justification of his proceedings, he could only
say that it had been referred to Sir Peter Lumsden.
Sir S. Northcote, having asked whether the Govern-
ment had now received all the answers they expected
from the Russian Government, or were still awaiting
further communications, Mr. Gladstone said he anti-
cipated a further communication from the Russian
Government, but did not think there had yet been time
to receive an answer to the material part of the rep-
resentations originally made in the despatches of Lord
Granville. It would be rash in him at that
moment to undertake to fix a date by which
he bored the differences between the accounts
of the British and Russian officers would be cleared
up. The right hon. gentleman further observed
that the Government bad not received any con-
firmation of the statement of the " Standard " corre-
spondent with Sir Peter Lumsden's escort, that the
Russian forces were advancing southward along the
banks of the Murghab River, but they had heard a
rumour to that effect. He also told Mr. Stanhope that
no information had reached the Government from our
Ambassador at St. Petersburg that the Russian Govern-
men 4: bad already conferred rewards and decorations
upon the commanders of the forces engaged on the
Afghan frontier.

CALLING OI7T OF THE RESFRVES.
In moving an Address thanking the Queen for her
Message, relative to the calling out of the Reserves.
Lord Hartington stated that not being in possession of
the modified views of the Indian Government with re-
spect to the amount and character of the reinforce-
ments requited, he could not enter into details of the
measures contemplated under the Royal Message.
The Vote of Credit necessitated by the operations
in the Soudan would be in the hands of mem-
bers by Tuesday, which would be the more con-
venient day for making a general statement of
the measures proposed to be taken. Sir S.
Northcote acquiesced in the suggestion that the
debate should be adjourned. Mr. Labouchere moved
to add to the Address a declaration in favour of
prompt withdrawal of the troops from the Soudan.
Mr. Gladstone declined to discuss this subject, upon
which Sir S. Northcote deprecated a division as likely
to produce a false impression. A division was, however,
pressed, and resulted in the amendment being nega-
tived by 148 to thirty-nine, and the Address was agreed
to.

The remainder of the evening was chiefly devoted to
the further consideration in committee of the schedules
to the Redistribution Bill.

CALLING OUT THE RESERVES.
In the llousE or LORDS, April 14, Lord Granville, in
moving an address to the Crown thanking her Majesty
for her message announcing the intention to call out
the Army Reserves, intimated that a general statement
of policy in connection with the subject would be made
In both Houses early next week. Meanwhile he hoped
their lordships would be satisfied with the assurances
that the measures taken under the proclamation would
meet all the requirements of the Indian Government.
Lord Salisbury was sure there could be no doubt of the
motion being met with a unanimous response, and
added that the public were looking wish great anxiety
for a statement of the Ministerial policy.

RUSSIA AND ENGLAND.
In the HOUSE OF COMMONS, Sir S. Northcote asked
whether the Prime Minister was in a position to give
fuller information as to the state of affairs on the
Afghan Frontier, especially in regard to the reported
further advance of the Russian troops.
Mr. Gladstone replied that he had nothing to com-
municate to the House of a very important character;
for nothing further had reached the Government in the
course of the day with respect to past events. A tele-
gram had been received from St. Petersburg, not bear-
ing upon past events as to which communications were
still proceeding. No confirmation had been received
from Sir Peter Lumsden of the report relating to the
advance of the Russians, and he might say that the
evidence before the Government that day—the ques-
tion arose only incidentally—amounted to a renewal
of the assurance that no such advance would take place
according to the intentions and orders of the Russian
Government.

Replying to Mr. Macfarlane, Mr. Gladstone said that
the statement of Captain Yate, that the Russian Chief
of the Staff on the Frontier had denied all knowledge
of the arrangement made between the Russian and
British Governments as to the positions occupied by
the Russian forces on the one hand and by the Afghans
on the other, was immediately referred to St. Peters-
burg; but her Majesty's Government had not yet re-
ceived the answer with which no doubt the Russian
Government would be furnished by its own officers.
Nor had he the least idea that the Russian Government
would make any statement on the subject until they
had received the report of their officers. Of course, it
was to be presumed that that Government had fulfilled
their duty by transmitting to their officers a knowledge
of the arrangement at the earliest moment.
Further progress was made in Committee with the
Redistribution of Seats Bill.