New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1885-04-11
KOMAROFF TO EXPLAIN.
THE RUSSIAN REPLY TO ENGLAND
r,xnru NOT OCCUPIED BY THE czAH'
fh'''' PREPARING FOR WAR.

,-ad General Komarof to explain HIS conua0V "
.,tock;np the Afghans at Penjdeh. MI. "iau0'o
odded that Russia had not vet recciVeu o".
Ton,arof,s explanation. In regard to the question
80 tho nresent occupation of Penjdeh, Mr. Olao-
800 stated that he had been in communication
=, this subiect with Sir Edward Thornton, bri.'sh
Ambassador at St Petersburg, aud that the ia''ei
had informed him that the Russians do not occupy
pen;deh but have retired to the positions tney oc-
cupjed before the battle with the Afghans
Tho Tories ridicue Russias reply TO Englands
demand for an explanation OF Generai hoinion
attack They argue that 1t will be mpossioio W 10
oevo General Komaroff7s defence within less than
sixteen days. and that Russia VIII occupy 'ne' -,
terval "a she has occupied the last seven monthS
in reinforcing her army ana suens'honi"s NN
nositions on the Afghan frontier.
The Wbic section Of the Liberal party has Joheu
Che Tories in demanding more vigorous measures
They are urging the Government 10 seno eheinooi
officers and troops to occupy ana s.reus,n0n
Conaabar the eapital of Central Afghanistan which
;scontected by rail with Quetta and whien COM
,nands The most practicable route from Afghan
istan into Northern india
Tho war preparations in all departments OF the
military and naval services continue with I'M
obatea v;oor. Sixty thousand men from the army
Peservss and 1he whole militia will be called out.
The Naval Reserves will be used for home defence.
Lord Dufferin after a consultation WIN Tue
Ameer urces the Government to order an lmmedi-
ate advance of troops into Afghauistan. Inc Ameer
has sent out couriers with orders 10 the Afghan
chiefs to meet HIM at Cabul for the purpose oi
holding war durbar. Letters from 81. PETERSBURG
mailed at Berlin in order TO escape the hussian
sorship, charge the Russian Minister OF war WIN
having sent orders to General KomaroH at about
tbe end of February to bring on conflict WIN 'ne
Afphans and state that Geoeral Komarof started
from Merry with reinforcements for Pulikhistl
and took advantage of favorable opportunity 10
,ake nm attack soon after his arrival at the latter
place. ,...o ao
In London and on the Continent the bourses de-
veoped a more cheerful tone, and prices recoVered'
owing 10 the belief that Russia would succeed III
making an explanation of the Penjdeh affair that
would be satisfactory to England
The leading officials at the Woowich Arsenai
have been summoned to the War Office to attend
conference upon the question of the dispatch OF war
material to India The Sir William Armstrong Gun
Manufacturing Company have received orders from
the Government for the immediate construction OF
ninety field guns The employees In this company
establishment are already working on double time
to fill Government orders
Russian agents in London have visited the ofhces
of a number of steamship companies ana mace
heavy bids for the purchase OF their iasrgoihg
vessels. The extraordinary offers for the steamers
panes. who upon inquiry became convinced that IL
the vessels were sold they would be used by the
Russian Government for war purposes, and SO re-
norted the facts TO the British Admiralty.
ALrxANpRIA April 10.-It is reported here that
the British Government has arranged, In case oi
war with Russia to have the troops now operating
in the soudan sent to Gallipoi at the entrance Oh
the Sea of Marmora, and have their places taken
by Turkish soldiers.
ST. PrrERsBURG, April 1O.-The morning news
papers throughout Russia, with feX exceptions, IN
commenting on the recent battle between the
Russlans and Afghans on the Kushk River. are
becoso in their utterances and charge the Earl Oh
Duferin aud Sir Peter Lumsden, the British Com
missioner with provoking the war by advising the
Afebans to advance on Pul-i-khisti. which tue
British officials knew was part OF the Russian
territory. The Afghans, they say, also fully mn
derstood that Pui-i-Khisti was Russian territory
and would never have attempted to advance their
pckets to that point unless strongly urged TO do
SO by the British officials The war party fully
approve the assertions of these newspapers and
pugnacious over the affair.
The Journal de 81. Petersburg says General Kon-
arof's return within his lines after driving OIL the
Afghans indicates that the Russian attack was
caused by the hostile acts of the Afghans. Thus
the affair was only accidental conflict such as is
difficult to avoid when one considers the strained
situation and the close proximity of the opposing
parties" The journal, however, sees no
reason for regarding between
Russia and England as inevitable and
expresses the hope that the battle on the Kushk
will not interfere with the negotiations now in
progress with England fer amicable settlement
of the perplexing boundary question. The Journal
Is glad to hear that the British officers who were at
the of the battle reached Afghan territory In
VIENNA. April lO.-Reliable advices from st.
Petersburg state that Russia considers the
excuse of NJ. de Giers for the, attack
upsn the Afghans sufficient aud that
the Government viii not recall or even blame Cen
eral komarofl, who, it considers. did his duty.
Professor Vambery thinks the lurcomans probably
provoked the Afghans TO cross the r1ver.
CANDAHAR, April 10.-TEe Iurcomans have dis
tIibuted ,proclamatons through the II fIo9tier 9tI
an alliance with Russia
RAwUL-PINDI, April 10.--The newsof the battle
between the Russians and Aighans was received by
the Ameer quietly. He has long been convinced
that Russia means to advance to Herat. One hun
Gied tons of supplies have been going through
Boan Pass daily. Orders have now been given TO
Lancers have received orders to 60 to Quetta next
week.
PASS. April 1o-The GaaIois publishes a tele-
gram from Berlin winch says: Prince Bismarck
has assured banker that in spite of the incident
atPenjdeh the Gar hopes to preserve peace"
MONTREAL, April 10.-It is stated that should
war break out with Russia the British Government
II charter among other vessels. three steamships
OF the Beaver Line. negotiations 10 this end having
already been opened.
BosIoS, April 10.-A private cable dispatch re-
ceived in this city from London says ." 1t is re-
ported that the English ultimatum to Russia is
twenty-four hours in which 10 recall General
komaroff 90 to war"
LONDON, April li..-Ihe Daily Netcs this morning
says that the latest advices from ST. Petersburg
are OF a reassuring nature, and justify the belief
that peace will be maintained. The English Gov
ernment has. however. decided TO prepare for war
WITH increased energy. In an editorial The AeDs
says: :" III General komarof's action was part OF
the policy of the Russian Government il is useless
TO think Of delaying 1t will DO dlficu to