, 1885-05-06

4,UOO Afghan troops I'D lnelf pOSlll0'S on
both sides of the Kuskh, had defeated
them with a loss of 500 men, had captured
their artillery, and had either stormed or
occupied Penj leh. The main facts having
been allowed TO come over the wires
through Russia, We're at once seen to be
true, and produced intense excitement. A
Cabinet Council was at once called, the
Departments were beSieged with qnpS-
lions, and IA panic Set-in on the Stock Ex-
change. Cunsols fell 2, Russian stock 8,
Egyptian stocks from 5 10 9-apparently
on an idea that England might evacnate
Egypt-and Italians 3, and every kind Of
security except American shares felt the
reflex Influence Of the fall. The agitation
spread in IA more moderate form over the
whole kingdom; and persons Of the high
est Importance, including several Ambas,
sailors, hurried to the House Of Commons
to hear in what way the intelligence would
be treated by the Ministry.
Mr.. Gladstone, questioned 10y Sir Stat
ford NOrthc0te, confirmed the wO st ac-
count of the facts. The Government, he
said, had deemed the Russian d spatch
one (which did not advance the questions
under consideration )" and although Il
''mOre hopeful communication was SubSr-
Qucllly ICCclN CIV, IL liz I'LL pOHoIOIV -" HpNoN
OF it in presence of the ''vrry grave occur
renee just reported. Her Majrs Us Coy
eminent had been informed by The head
of the Boundary Commission, Sir Peter
LuInsden, under date March 29th, that in
spite Of the Russian assurances OF March
18th, General koniar0tf denied any as
surances TO that effect, "that every endea-
your was being made by the Russians to in
duce the AfghanS to begin the fight, and
that the Russian forces had attempted
forcibly to pass through The Afghan pick
cts" In Il second telegram, written ut II
point on the road to Gulran, Sir Peter
stated Thar on March 30th General Komar-
off had attacked the AtgIanS, and after an
engagement, in which the Afghans fought
bravery, defeated them and occupied
Prlljleh, = statement, however, about
which there is doubt, as. though the Eng.
liShman saw the battle, hr did not see the
OccupAti'n The British officers renamed
neural in the engagement, aud Withdrew
after 1t towards Gulran.
Mr.. Gladstone further stated that the
Russian Government had informed The
Ambassador in st. Petersburg that they
hoped this ''rcgftttahle incident" wotld not
interrupt negotiations but, pending tur-
tHtI tApldlldt lOIlNs MS OWN Jul4HltlU was
<ummtd,up in these words 1.-The Hou {
will not be surprised when | say,
speaking with measured words in cir
cumstances of great gravity, that to
us, upon the STATEMENTS / have recited,
this attack bears the appearance Of an un-
provoked aggression" The whole tone and
manner Of he Premier was that of a man
who, while earnestly desirouS not to make
accommodation impossible, had hardly an
no e lcti that pc ce would be p eserved.
H evident. did not believe that he
AfslfanS had given any provoration;
though later in the sitting he mentioned,
on The authority of a delayed telegram
from sir p. LumSGen, that The AtghanS
had, prp viOuS to the attack, throWn-out
some vedctte>. There are other fac S which
Air. Gladstone did not mention, bat which
we give elSeWhe ., which raise a viOlenI
presumption that the Afghan General
intended no me race to the Russians. He
cannot have had orders; and if actrd
without them, Abdulrahmal, vino is
dreaded b, every officer under HIM, would
have taken his head. 1t is, Of course,
quite possible that General KomarOtf acted
for himself; but then the Russian Govern
mrni must repudiate and recall him. L. is
clear, we must add, that he could have
had orders not to advance, for his account
of his victory reached ST. Petersburg In