The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-04-10
Penideh occupied by the Russians.

LONDON, April "a dispatch to the Times
from Guboan dated April g. states that the Rus
slams, while making pretext of changing the
positions of their outposts on the Afghan from
tier, attacked Penjdeh on March 80, and drove
the Afghans out Of their position. The AT
ghans stubbornly resisted their assailants. The
weather was wet at the time of the attack,
which rendered the muzzle-loading guns of the
Afghans useless. Two companies held one posi-
tion against the Russians until its defenders
were killed. The Afghans retreated to the
Maranchak in perfect order. The Russians
made no pursuit. The Sariks remained neu-
trail, but plundered the Afghan camp. The
Russian losses are said to be great. the British
officers remained until the Afghans affected their
retreat, when they joined the camp of Sir Peter
Lumsden.
The Telegraph published a fourth edition,
which was on the street little before o'clock
this afternoon. This states that the gravity of
the news from the Afghan border has not been
in any degree diminished by the advices
received by the government. The telegraph
wire to Meshed has been cut for some days. The
Telegraph has dispatch from Alahabad which
states that General Komaroff, after his victory,
occupied Penjdeh, which has long been held by
an Afghan garrison The Telegraph expresses
the fear that British officer fell in the rout at
Penjdeh.
The government believes that Gen. Sir Peter
Lumsden, the British Afghan boundary commits
sioner, is at present at Herat which he will fort
ify and hold, if necessary, against Russia. The
ordinary defenses of Herat are reported to be in
good condition.
1t is stated that the promised orders to have
the Russian advance stopped. which NJ. DeGiers,
the Russian Foreign Minister, gave assurance
he would send, were managed that they did
not reach the headquarterso of General Komaroff,
the Russian commander at the 'front.' until after
his attack upon the Afghans
Penjdeh, the place which the Russians are re-
ported to have occupied, has belonged for several
hundred years TO Afghanistan, and for many
years it has received deputy governor from
Herat. to the ruler of which it has, with rare
exceptions, paid tribute for the same period.
The present Ameer began to strengthen his hold
upon Penjdeh early,in 1883, when Russian in
trigues at Merv first inspired him with alarm.
1t was then that he appointed as Governor over
the Sariks of the Penjdeh district an official
named Usman Khan, but soon afterward he re-
moved this man, and appointed one of higher
rank in his place, Aminulla Khan, chief of the
Samshidi tribes. This appointment was made
in April, 1884, Immediately after the news of the
Russian occupation of Merv had been received in
Afghanistan, and long before there was any talk
of joint Anglo Russian commission. When the
consequences of Russa's advance to the Murghab
became still more evident the Ameer decided to
take further steps to strengthen and extend his
sovereignty in the Penjdeh district, which has
always been held to stretch as far north as Sari-
YAH Before the appointment of Aminulla
Khan, an Afghan force was established at Bala
Murghat, and in May last. still long before the
commission was arranged, Afghan troops were
put in occupation of Penjdeh. Although the
Russians have made the Sariks of Penjdeh many
tempting offers through their kinsmen, the
Sarks of Yolatan, they have up to this shown
no inclination to break of the long standing con-
nection with the Afghans of Herat But, of
course, there is always an element Of doubt as