The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-04-26
THE RUSSIAN CAPITAL.
TAe War Party Urging the Gear to an Inme
diate Declaration of Hostilities.

TAe War rarity Urging the Gar 10 an 1n1fne-
diate Declaration of Hosti1ities.
ST.. PETERSBURG, April 25-Ths Emperor
passed four hours yesterday with General
Ubrutscheff, chief of staff, and several engineer
ofHceEs, studying maps of the Afghan from
tier General Obrutscheff regards war as inev-
liable, urges immediate mobilization, and that
not moment should be lost in pushing on to
Herat and Candahar General Obrutscheffs in
creasing influence over the Gear is believed here
TO be very significant. Obrutscheff is man of
the Skobeleff type He is only forty two years
old, and full of energy and ambition He said
to the Gar Now is the moment, sire, for Bus
STA to strike Lumsden's retreat has utterly de-
stroysd England's prestige among the Afghans,
who. can assure your Majesty, are ready to re-
volt against the Ameer; besides, Persia is pre-
pared secretly to help u.s. and to do SO the mo-
ment we strike the first blow. All these advsn-
tagas will be lost by delay" The Czar replied:
'sYOW are too hasty, General Russia's manifest
destiny is too strong to be wrecked by any hui
man agency, but still hope war may be avoided.
But, come what will, / never shall consent to
give up njdeh nor the Zulfkar pass"
The above conversation took place in the Win
ter Palace, in the room near the famous Nicho-
las Hall, which is now filled with small tables,
upon which are piled hundreds of maps,
plans and railway schemes about central Asia.
The Gar is convinced that the improvised
cruisers of the Alabama type and tho vigorous
application of torpedo warfare will transfer
highlands monopoly of the carrying trade to
other nations.
War preparations at Moscow are being has
tened with the greatest activity. Large bodies
of troops are daily leaviag for the south. Heavy
supplies of artillery AID commissariat stores
sire being sent to Togaprog for transportation to
Batoum aud other for titled places on the Black
sea. The Cossacks of the Don, Koban and
Terek altogether over eighty thousand men. have
received orders to hold themselves ready to
move at a moments notice. Thirty five thou
sand troops have already been concentrated
near Askabad. In Moscow war 10 eagerly hoped
for.
General Gourko, the Governor. general of Po-
land, has been ordered by the Gear to prepare
Immediately detailed memoir giving plan Of
campaign IN Afghanistan. 1t is believed hare
that General Gourko. in the event Of war. will
be placed in supreme command of the armies
operating against India. There are now 70, 900
Russian troops in Poland Of these. 30. 900 are
under orders for immediate movement to Odessa.
This proves that Russia has no cause to fear any
hostility from Austria. The feeling among the
Poles is one of utter indifference. War or no
var, they are too weak to dream of revolt and
he Russian garrison can be safely reduced to
10000 men.
Workmen are busy night and day at Crcn
stadt loading all the Whitehead torpedoes in the
arsenal Orders have been given that the mo-
ment hostilities begin stationary torpedoes shall
be placed outside all Russian ports on the Baltic.
Three frstclass rcn-cads and three monitors
nave already completed their armament and are
ready for immediate action
Negotiations continue between the Russian
and British governments. The frontier que stion
presents no serious difficulty; but the Penjdeh
affair detains the meeting of the boundary com
mission headed by Nj. Lessar, for Russia, and
Sir Peter Lumsden, for Great Britain. Russia,
says the dispatch is willing TO cede zulfiear in
return for Peuideh. That accomplished, the
boundary commission could probably arrange for
a withdrawal of both Russian and Afghan
troops from the disputed scene. This solution
Of the existing difficulty, it is assorted however.
is only possible if England foregoes her claims
for satisfaction from Russia for the Pend incl
dent Satisfaction continues the dispatch, Rus
sia will not give
The Car has issued an imperial ukase sane
eioning the raising of large force OF Turkoman
militia by General Komaroff.