Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1885-04-13
K0MAR0FF EXPLAINS.
Gen. Komaroff's Account Of the Ponidel
Affair as Made 10 the Russian
Government.
His Statement That the Afgbsns Provoked
the Recent Battle Dlsoredited
by England.


ST. PETERSBURG, April 12-The
OfIicial Messenger publishes the fol-
lowing telegram from Gen. Komarcff,
dated April l;
ION the 25th OF March our deiach-
ment approached Da.hkapri When
n, ar the bridge We saw an eDtrench-
ment occupied by the Afghans. In
order TO avoid cor flict stationed
my troops five yersis Il little over
three miles from the Afghan position.
Negotiations with Capt. Yates,
member of Sir Peter Lumsden's
force, commenced on the Goth.
When the Afghans became convinced
that we had no intention Of attacking
them they daily drew nearer to our
camp.
ION the 9th they dispatched
against a company Of ours
covering n accommodating party
q force OF three companies, with a gun
and some cavalry. The next day, their
audacity and arrogance increasing,
they occupied high and command
ing position on the left flank of our
camp, made an entertainment and
placed cavalry post in the rear OF
our line and picket within gunshot
of our fort.
ION the Goth sent the Afghan COM
mander an energetic summons to evsc-
uste the left bank of the Kushk
and the right bank of the
Murghab as far as the mouth of the
Kushk. He replied that, acting on
the advice Of the English, he would
not retire hey ond the Kushk. then
sent him private letter couched ia
a. icable terms. On the S0th In order
to support my demand marched with
my detachment against the Afghan
position, still expecting pacific Is
sue, but fire from the Afghan artil
lery and an attack of theil
cavalry compelled me TO accept com
bat"
The ST. Petersburg Journal says
that the foregoing statement leaves M
question of Russian aggression; that
moreover, Sir Peter Lumsden's sec
ond dispatch to the British govern
ment justified Gen. Komaroh's action
and that even Mr.. Gladstone ha.
sh ,wn u praiseworthy anxiety e
atone for the ungenerOus words about
Russia which first escaped him.
Bomarof7s statement Disc odItsd.
LONDON, April l2.-The am, or, upo1
leaving Rawul-Pindee to-day, ex
pressed himself as certain, that, Will,
the Afghans would welcome British
aid, The native Indian troops would as
sist in repelling Russian invasion
The fleet of Gen Komsrofi's detaileC
statement, which showed that Tn,
Aighans provoked the recent battle
has been weakened by reports received
by way Of the Austrian telegraph
stations on the Russian frontier.
Pepjdeh was occupied by Col. A
HlikhanOff on the I'd inst. Gen
KomaI Off states that he was oblige,
to occupy Pepjdeh in order to stop In
pillaging OF the district by the Turcc
mans, and that the Afghans ha'
, threatened to resume offensive opers
lions. The Russian minister Of wa
!, has sent gratulatory message I
! Gen. Komaroff, and has directed hiT
l to thank the troops In the name OF tn
, car, and announce to them that a
who took part In battle will be r,
i warded according TO their rank.
! Transp rts ordered to russia.
CAIRO, April II The Russian col
. sui here has ordered the Russian tram
I ports Nostroma and Saint Petersbur
to proceed to Vladimeer, avoiding a
British ports.
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