The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1885-04-21

OUR NEWS BUDGET.

We print additional news items in
to-day's issue. 1t will be seen that
the Mexican Governments preparing
for war on an extensive scale. There
does not seem to be much excuse for
gathering so large an army as is be-
ing concentrated at Mexico. The
death of Barrios has also weakened
any pretense for interference that
may have previously existed. The
Mexican Congress was considering
the propriety of endowing the Elk
ecntive with extraordinary powers to
meet any emergency. Mexico has
long pending claim against Guate-
mala which she will probably prefer
at the canon's mouth.
France is making active prepare
lions to send further troops to Ton
quin. Three divisions are to be
formed, two of which will embark
speedily, the third remaining in the
south of France ready to embark If
necessary. General Courcy will COM
mand two corps that embark for
Tonquin. This is not to interfere
with negotiations for peace that are
-inprogress.
The attempt by Ayoub Khan to es-
cape from Persia to Askabad, where
he would join the Russian troops, is
significant of Muscovite duplicity.
This prince was ruler of Herat under
his father, the late Ameer, Shere
Ali He supported the pretentions
of his brother Akbar Khan to the
succession, when the British took
him out of the prison to which his
father had consigned him for safe
keeping, although it was Akbar's
personal courage that defeated Alb
durrahmann Khan and seated him on
the throne. Shere Ali soon becom Q
Jealous of his capable son, however,
and kept him in close confinement.
After the Cabul revolt and mas
sacre of the British envoy and
guards, Akbar abdicated and went
to India, where he now resides.
Avoub then took the field and adj
vanced OH Candahar, which had been
erected with a quasi-independent
sovereignty, with a garrison of Eng
Hsh soldiers. Meantime Abdurrah-
mann, a pensioner of Russia, had
heen seated on the throne of Cabul,
bv British bayonets, and Ayoub
aimed at dividing Afghanistan with
him, by capturing Candahar and an
nexinp it to Herat. General Kirk
natrick sailed out to meet Ayoub,
and his command was cut to pieces
within eleven miles of Candahar.
The surviving British garrison was
then cooped up in the citadel, and
CLOSELY besieged when General Rob-
eres cut loose from Cabul, marched
across Afghanistanin the heatof sum-
n,er. and engaged and defeated
Avoub's forces as soon as he came
an with them near Candahar. Ayoub
then escaped to Persia, where he has
been q pensioner of the Shah, who
grew tired of him and his 500
retaiuers, and recently threatened to
stop their monthly allowance unless
tba Indian Government undertook to
rapav him. Ayoub would willingly
plav the part of MS cousin, A bdurrah-
mann, who is now Ameer and PEN
sIoner of England.
Herat, the objeeti We point OF the
russians, is situated in the center OF
a fertile and we'll watered plain. 1t
ia the point to which all the great
highways of Central Asia and India
converge. 1t is protected by wall,
earthworks aud a moat'
and if the Russians once establish
there, it will be exceed
lngly difficult to drive them out SIR
Henry Rawlinson states that the sur