Morning journal and courier., 1885-04-21
News by Telegraph FROM ALL QUARTERS. THE WAR CLOUD AGAIN. Russia Preparing To Take Herat.
 GENERAL GRANT RIDES OUT. Dissatisfaction In The Provinces. IA LAME BUREAU OF LABOR. The Fisheries Vexing The
 Powers That Re.
A CURT REPLY FROM RUSSIA.

CURT REPLY FROM RUSSIA. M. De Giers Makes a Strong Defense of Komarohss Action at Penjdeh- Russia Making Preparations to Take Herat. LONDON, April 20.-The reply of NJ. de Giers, Russian foreign minister, to MT. Glad ! stones request for an explanation of Gen. eral Komaroff's attack upon the Afghan out posts near Penjdsh on March 30th was re ceived at the foreign office on Saturday and l considered by the Cabinet yesterday and l to-day. The note is curt and the reverse of conciliatory. M. de Giers says that General
 Komaroff's dispatch giving his reasons for the attack and describing the battle, the sub stance of which has heretofore been tele- graphed to MT. Gladstone, sufficiently ex- plains the Penjdeh incident and that any supplement thereto would be needless. N. de Giers then enters a strong complaint against the excessive strength of Sir Peter Lumsden's escort, which with the moral effect of the conference at Rawal- Pindi and the bellicose nature of Lord Duff ferin's speeches M. de Giers declares en- l couraged the Afghans to provoke hostilities with the Russians as it led them to rely upon British support in any offensive action they might take. So far from expressing any re- gret at General Komaroff's course, M de Giers even intimates in closing his reply that under the circumstances described in Gene ] ral Komaroff's despatch the Afghans having put themselves in the position of aggressors it would have been plain neglect of duty had the general failed to make the at tack.
 MT. Gladstone, in the House of Commons this afternoon, made the following statement: ''The government on Friday received & dis patch from Sir Peter Lumsden, but this tele- gram was not an answer to onr inquiries and l instructions dispatched to him on the 10th 1 instant It will be necessary to await that answer before we can make any statement. The telegram received from Sir Peter Lumsden on Friday tended to confirm his previous statements, which certainly ap- parently conf1icted with General Komarof's statements"
 l Earl Granville, British foreign minister, stated this afternoon in the House of Lords | that the government have received des- patch from Sir Peter Lumsden. The con- l tents of this despatch, Earl Granville said 1 the government were not prepared to make public, any further than to state that it con- | tained contradiction of the account ot l the Penjdeh incident as given by Gene I ral Komarof. The government were, Earl l Granville said, expecting further telegrams | from Sir Peter Lumsden, and until they | were received the government would not be prepared te make any further statement. A Blue-Book puts the effective strength of ] the British regular army at 1SS, 900 men, 1 that of the reserves at 47 900 men, that of | the militia at 125, 900 men, and that of the | volunteers at 215, 1000 men.
 | The Standard has dispatch from Tirant | dated April 18th stating that the day pre- | ceding the Russian attack near Penjdeh Cap | tain Yates, enc of Sir Peter Lumsdens staff officers with the Afghans, had conversation l with General Komaroff and found I him irritable and inclined to be captious l The general asserted that numerous causes l of complaint had been offered by the Af- l ghans, and closed the interview by denounc- ! ing the Afghans as arrogant to an insufera- l ble degree. At this very time, Captain Yates says, the Russians had advanced their own lines so that they were actually face to
 face with the Afghans. The attti- l tude of the latter was not menacing. | On the contrary the Afghan commander | offered General KomaroH the privilege of in- specting the Afghan positions at Pulikhisti
 and gave in a friendly way his reasons for | having crossed the river, evidently not sus- pecting that General Komaroff could find | any cause for beginning hostilities.
 Sir Peter Lumsden informs the govern | ment that he has evidence that the Russians ! are forcing the Sarik Turcomans to aid in | the construction of military road to Herat l which will pass through Penjdeh.
 BERLIN, April 2O-The Tagblatt, an off
 cial organ, prints dispatch from Warsaw stating that Russia is making the necessary | preparations 10 take Herat
 l CHICAGO, April 20.-A dispatch from Lon.
 don to the News says: ''It is stated 1T Liberal circles that the negotiations regard | ing the frontier question have assumed a less l favorable aspect owing to the revival by l Russia of questions which had been regarded
 as finally settled The Standard says that l despite the apparent peaceful settlement ot l the negotiations there are indications sufh | cient to warn reasonable men against the as
 sumption that the storm has past. There is nc | abatement of Russia's ardor in preparing fol
 war and the exultation of the Muscovite pa pers in reminding the British that their threats
 are futile suggests that their statesmen may | attempt to push their advantage beyond tht
 limits which Gladstones Cabinet even car
 tolerate. TB Times says that hopes oi
 peace are not founded on the importation o
 any new element into England's negotiations
 with Russia. It is simply known that il
 the Cabinet a cold fit has succeeded th'
 hot We do not learn,' says the Times
 that any definite proposals offering
 new ground of agreement have been present
 ed or accepted by either side. Therefore i
 would be madness for the government t.
 suspend it's activity is preparing for war
 The Nepaulese government is drilling 2,OOt
 Gurkhas in anticipation of the Indian gov l eruUents 5 acceptance o1 tneil oneI ol aesls.
 ance. It is rumored among Berlin diplomat
 that Sir Peter Lumsden is soon to be re
 called. The Khan of Bokhara has written t
 the Ameer, who is his son in-law, advisin
 him against war with Russia"
 The Circumstance Was Accidental.
 NORFOLK, Va, April 2O.-A British an
 Russian man-of-war arrived here from Hs
 vana to-day, and the coincidence owing
 the present hostile attitude of England an Russia caused some sensation here. Tn captains of the vessels say their simultaneou
 arrival was pu ely accidental.