Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1885-04-10
IN PARLIAMENT.
hir. Gladstone Makesa siatemept-The Rus'
sian Attack Unprovoked.
IBy cable 10 the Dispatch.l

sian Attack Unprovokeo.
[By cable 10 the Dispatch.I
LONDON, April 9.-Parlisment re-
assembled to-day after the Easter
recess. In the House Of Commons, Mr..
Gladstone confirmed the intelligence Of
a battle between the Russians and
Afghans and said 4: From information
| which the Government has received OF
the fight the Russians have apparently
been guilty Of an unjustifable attack
on the Afghans. England has demanded
from Russia full explanations in regard
TO the affair" In conclusion he said
that the Government had received no
information eorroborative Of the report
that the Russians had occupied
Penjdeh.
Mr.. Gladstone, in the House Of Com
mons this evening, in answer to inter-
rogatories, said that on Saturday the
Cabinet had considered Russia's reply
to England's proposal to limit the zone
Of survey to debatable points.
Russis's reply was an agreement to
do this provided the zone Of survey as
marked out by England was extended
southwark so as to include the Parapa-
NISSAN range of mountains.
The Government considered that this
reply did not advance the question to-
wards q conclusion, and was dissatis-
fed with it. Within the past twenty
four hours, however, said the Pre-
mier, a subsequent communication had
been received from Russia, and this APP
poared, in the opinion of the Govern
ment, to place the matter in more
hopeful position. Being asked what
the nature Of this subsequent commu-
nication was, Mr. Gladstone said it
would be impossible at present for the
Government to make any further state
ment concerning the pending negotis'
tons about the Afghan frontier in
view Of the grave occurrences just
reported. Continuing, Mr.. Gladstone
said it was evident that the Russians
have attacked the Afshans, and the AZ
ghans had been defeated after making a
gallant resistance. 1t was apparent
also that the Russians after the fight
had returned to their former positions,
or, at least. to the left bank of the
Kush river, which might be equivalent
10 such retirement. The Government
had been informed, the Premier went
on, that the Russians had made every
eudearor to induce the Afghans to be-
gin the fighting. The Russian troops
had even twice attempted to forcibly
pass through the Afghan picket lines.
After one Of these attempts had failed
to provoke an Afghan attack, Captain
Yates met the Russian chief Of staff
and talked to him about the conduct OF
the Russian soldiers being an evident
violation Of the Russian agreement to
not advance pending the outcome Of ne
gotiations.
A Russian officer stated that he had
no knowledge that any arrangement
existed against the Russian advance.
Captain Yates referred to the official
dispatch sent from st. Petersburg on
March 18th to london, assuring Eng
land that orders would be at once sent
to the Russian officers at the front,
directing them to forbid any advance
and do all in their power to prevent the
provocation Of the Afghsns. The Rus.
sian officer declared he knew nothing
whatever of any such arrangement.
Mr.. Gladstone, commenting on this,
said England had kept her part of this
agreement. Up to March 30th, at least
the Afghans had made no advance mol
any forward movement of any kind.
So far as the information possessed by
the Ministers went, the Government,
Mr.. Gladstone stated, must regard the
attack by the Russians upon Penjdeh
as unprovoked. The Government had
asked for an explanation Of this attack
from Russia, but Of course sufficient
time had no, yet elapsed for the receipt
of an answer to this request. Sir Ed
ward Thornton, British Ambassador 10
st. Petersburg, had, however, last nigh,
telegrsphed that Giers, the Russian
Prime Minister, had expressed for him.
self and for the Car an earnest hope
that this unhappy incident might not
prevent the continuation Of the nego.
tiationS for peace. This remark was
greeted with shouts OF derisiye laugh.
ter.
Sir Stafford Northcote, Tory leader,
at this point arose, and, recalling the
Premier's statement just made, that the
Government believed that after defeat
ing the Afgbans in Pesjdeh the Rus.
slams had retired, asked sarcastically
if it was not more reasonable to believe
that, after driving the Afghans out Of
Ponjdeh, the Russians stayed and occu
pied the place.
To this Mr.. Gladstone said that o.
course the natural inference would bt
that the Russians now occupy Penjdeh
Concerning this statement, however,
the premier added, "some confusion
exists, because the statement that the
Russians occupy Penjdeh emauates from
British officer who had left the spo
at the time Of the fight. whilst Sir Ed
ward Thornton reports subsequently t
this that GierS had stated that the Rus
slams, after attacking the AfghanS, dix
not occupy Penjdeh. p"
Many questions were at once asked
Dir. Gladstone about the ambiguity o
the expression used by Giers. and a
TO whether the Russians might not have
occupied Penjdeh without having occu'
pied it immediately after the battle
Mr.. Gladstone evaded these questions
as idle, and to others said that the Gov
eminent had no reason TO believe thai
any aggressive act had been done by
the Afghans to provoke the attack OF
Penjdeb.
This declaration caused sensation
and for q moment the House resoundct
with cries Of " Hear "" Hear. :"
Mr.. Gladstone appeared anxious ant
careworn.
Lord Randolph Churchill on enterin
the House was warmly greeted by bot
Conservative and Liberal members. Tn
general opinion expressed in the lobby
was that nothing can prevent war.
| .-------~aun
The resignation Of William G. En- Il
colt, Secretary of War, was present u