The New York herald., 1879-03-29
LATEST CABLE NEWS.
General Grant Is Invited to
Visit Siam.
THE BURMESE DIFFICULTY.
The Attack on Sir Bartle
Frere.
he BURMESE DIFFICULTY.
THE ZULU IN PARLIAMENT.
Lord Beaconsfield on the Depres-
sion in England.
B U UMAH AND CHIN
[BY CABLE TO THE HEnA1D..l

[BY CABLE TO THE HERALD
LONDON, March 20, 1870.
General Grant and party arrived at Penang,
in the strait of Malacca, yesterday.
A letter from Bangkok, siam, dated ON the
18th Of March, says that the King of Siam has
sent an autograph letter to General Grant in
viting him to visit Siam and become his
guest. General Grant is expected ut Singa-
pore about the 1st Of April. The Ameri-
can Consul at Bangkok accompanied by the
Kings aide-dc-camp, and one of the Princes will
proceed down the Gulf Of Siam on u government
steamer to meet and welcome General Grant and
escort him to Bangkok. The letter also says -
"The English surveying party which left Upper
Burmah several months ago, consisting of fifty
men with twenty elephants, has just reached the
Tochin River and is expected at Bangkok in
about week The arrivals of American goods
in Siam are increasing and they arc much sought
after both by foreigners and Siamese. The new
rice coming into market is OF superior quality
and the crop is large"
THE RUSSIANS IN CENTRAL ASIA
The Daily Ne,cS despatch from ST. Petersburg
this morning states that the expedition to
Merv will consist of 5000 men, escorting an
CAplOr}uk Ubrtv uuuer Luc COUIndIu Oh
the Grand Duke Nicholas Constantinovich.
This is the Russian version of the aims of the
expedition. When it is recollected that this
force, great small, had been shipped across the
Caspian to the mouth of the Oxus from
the plague district, so called, new
reason may be found for the military
Gordon behind which Russia has masked
her plans while she massed her men. 1t should
not be forgotten that the Standards Berlin cor
respondent placed the strength Of the expedition
from Astrakhan st 10000. The available
strength of the Russian troops and ma
tive levies that General Kaufman can gather
at Tashkend may reasonably be fixed at an
equal number. With a force of 10000 men,
therefore, the Russian advance OH Nerve may
dcvelope into an event Of grave Importance.
The Posts St Petersburg despatch says the
Cossacks of the Don have refused to pay taxes,
aud have created disturbances.
THE ADVANCE on CABUL.
The English government has received no con-
firmation from India Of the news published by
the Standard yesterday morning to the effect
that negotiations with Afghanistan had failed
and that an immediate advance ON Cabul had
been ordered The Hon. Mr.. Stanhope, the
Under Secretary of State Tor India, replied in
the House of Lords to this effect yesterday in
answer to question by Mr.. Forster. He also
added that nc could say that the information
to hand with regard to Afghan affairs did not
agree with the statements in the Standard The
Standard Of this morning, however, has fresh
dispatches from its correspondent in Lahore,
which seem to corroborate his earlier message.
vJa hos 20;
cisive, and that an advance of the troops is i'm
possible before the middle of next month, as all
the passes must be clear Of snow for
simultaneous movement on the part of
Generals Roberts and Browne" 1t is, therefore,
apparent that the forward movement has been
decided upon. The same correspondent under
stands that Candahar will not be annexed. The
Standard editorially maintains the belief that
its news of the failure of negotiations is sub
stantially correct and intimntes that public
admission to that effect is not to be expected
until the troops have absolutely received orders
TO advance.
Mr.. Stanhope also introduced bill authorizing
the rnising of f1O ,OOO, 900 in England for ser.
vice in India for the ordinary expenses of the cur
rent year. Hc said THE government would
esSS ehS D~AAV~h hC IOWcIS WHlCu tucy uekcu
as sparingly as possible, and would undertake
to cndcavor to pay off whatever sum they were
compelled to raise when circumstances were
moro favorable for reritting to England"
THR ZULU WAR DEBATE.
In the House of Commons Mr. Hamburg re-
opened the debate on the Zulu war Last night in
speech defending the government and Sir
Bartle Frerc. Mr.. Lowe commenced to urge the
recall of Sir Bartlc Frerc, but, having lost his
notes, he broke down and resumed his scat. Sir
Robert Peel conservative attacked Sir BartIe
Frcre and declared that the blood of the sol
dicrs spilled in the Zulu war was upon the
head Of Lord Chelmsford until he should be ac-
quilted by court martial. Sir Charles Rus.
sell warmly defended Lord Chelmsford Mr..
Walter Henry james attacked and Mr.. Henry
Chaplin supported the government. Sir Henry
Holland (conservative) strongly condemned tho
retention OF Sir Bartlc Frere. Lord Colin
Campbell said the government had wasted pre-
cious weeks before they ccnsurcd Sir Bartle
Frcrc, and were responsible for tho war for
which they sought to blame tho latter.
Right Hon. Frederick Stanley, Secretary
of State for War, opposed Colonel
Murc's addition to the motion of censurc
upon the same ground taken by Sir
Michael Hicks-Bcach on Thursday, that the gov
crnmcnt contemplated originally only defensive
action He held that Lord Chelmsford was in
no way responsible for the Isandula disaster.
Hc read Lord Chclmsford's despatch Of Feb
ruary ~ calm intimation from one who was
looking death In the face that it would be well
to provide against contingencies, and concluded
by saying he was never proudcr of the friend
ship Of Lord Chelmsford than now. Tho debate
was then adjourned.
BEAcoSsrIELD ON DEPRESSION IN ENGLAND.
In the House Of Lords last night Lord Hunt
ley suggested that an inquiry be made into tho
depression of commerce and agriculture. Lord
Bcaconsiicld acknowledged that the depression
of the agricultural interest was unprecedented.
but tho depression was anticipated when
protection was abolished II was csti
mated that the public wealth had d.
minishcd fSO,OOO,OOO, and the arca