The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1885-05-14
HE LION AND Ne BEAR.
Gladstone Makes Another Speech Giving
Better View OF the Afghan Question
Peace Prospects.

Gladstone Makes Another Speech Giving
Better View OF the Afghan Question
Peace Prospects,
LONDON, MAY s.-Mr. Gladstone, reply
ing to questions in the House of Commons
said that although on receipt OF the first
telegram he had described the Penjdeh al
fair as an act OF unprovoked aggression,
still he had never presumed that the infor-
nation in his possession when he made that
declaration was unqueStionable. AS
matter of fact, within twenty-fOur hours
afterward news containing important quail
fcaton OF that first received had come to
hand. Mr.. Gladstone had no doubt, he
said, that when the Earl of Dufferin, British
Viceroy in India at Lahore, after his return
from his conference with the Ameer at
Rawal-Pindi described the Russian attack
as an act of unprovoked aggression with
ment was warranted by the circumstances
under which he spoke and the knowledge
in his possession, but Russia had since de-
MED that Colonel AlikhanOff had ordered the
Turcomans under his command TO make an
had made such an order was made TO Eng
land by Captain Yates and his party, who
belonged to Sir Peter Lumsden's Boundary
Commission. and who were in PenHeh dur
ing the battle but il has been aScertSined
since that neither Captain Yates nor any of
his party were aware of any other fOunda-
ton for that report than that of rumor.
Continuing, Mr.. Gladstone said: That Lord
Dufferin had arranged with Abdurrahman
Khan, the Ameer of Afghanistan, the basis
upon which the British Government had so
far proceeded in the frontier affair, and if
further communications with the Ameer
upon the subject should become
necessary, they would be made. Being
asked if Lord Dufferin, as Viceroy of India,
approved Of the Governments course
toward Russia in the Afghan dispute,
Mr.. Gladstone refused to say
whether he did or not. The con-
ference between Earl Granville and
Baron de Staal, arranged to be held to-day
at the Foreign Office, for the purpose OF
formally opening the discussion on the de-
limitation of the RuSsian-Afghan boundary,
was postponed as Baron de Staal is await
ing a communication on the subject from
st. Petersburg. Negotiations continue on
the demand OF Earl Granville that Russis's
assurances that her troops will not advance
to Herat shall take the form of treaty.
1t is reported that NJ. De Giers maintains
that the simple expression of such inten-
tion is a sufficient pledge. General Feleno
has beOn recalled from Tiflis 10 ST Peters
burg to assist in the delimitation inquiry.
NJ. De Giers has instructed General KOmar-
off to prepare detailed report with chart
of the advance on Penjdeh, as q
basis for reference to an arbitration M.
Lessar, the Russian boundary commissioner,
had conference with Earl Granville yes
terday with respect to the delimination OF
the Russo-Afghan frontier. An arbitrator
has not yet been chosen. The Daily Ncns
says it is able to state that Earl Dufferin
warmly approves the settlement that has
been made by England and Russia, which
will appear from papers which are about to
be laid on the table in Parliament The
Netcs also says that the prospect of peace
will not affect the budget. The money will
be devoted TO the work of increasing the
navy, and any residue will be applied TO
the sinking fund