The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1885-04-24


rhs Qaestlea Trsnbllng n shs nalaass--
General Komare0s kxplAnasion 81 The
Recent fighs Regarded - somewhat
Lame-Activs Preparations fsr war Co.
tag In n England aud Russia
snE LATEST PHASE OF THE SITUATION.
LONDON, april iS.-Thcre u now an
almost unanimous consensus Of opinion
that England has been outwitted BY
Russia, But the chances Of peace are just
distinctly improved, aud the most cool
headed observers believe that al reason
able excuse for further putterIng Is de-
ssroyed. The ground for this belief Is
the general conviction that the Cabinet
must regard General KomaTod's dispatch
regarding the battle on the Kushk and Its
anteccdcn; manUniers as being
virtually Russia's reply TO Lord Gran
ville's demand for an explanation The
report Of General Komaroff absorbs at
tention In military and political circles.
The imputation that English officers in
stigated the Afghsns TO advance Is scout
ed by the politicians, but the report Of
captain Yates on this point Is anxiously
awaited. Sir Peter Lumsden has already
described the Afghan movement a. an sct
Of purely defensive strategy, but his
brief dispatch was based up
on the report Of his stan officers
Captain Yates, and the details OF the lat
ter's report are needed 10 establish the
facts 10 the satisfaction Of military ex-
perts. The Cabinet however, will be
forced 10 speak without waiting for de-
tailed report OF an already old story from
detailed officer. IL Is expected that
MIR. Gladstone will make statement In
the House Of Commons tomorrow.
The Tories aud the bulls believe that
the Premier will say In effect that the
Afghans provoked and deserved the
thrasning they got This assertion will
OF course be CLOSED with phrases OF
sympathy and regret 1t NAV also be
accompanied by the statement that Rus
sia has made some important con-
cessions regarding the southern
limit Of the debatable zone,
Then the bulls will have their innings on
the stock Exchange. IL Is reported that
the bears Melted Sl,250,000 profits by
last Thursdays panic. and the bulls hope
~ recoup to-day or tomorrow. The ef-
feet of General kom2rods statement has
been weakened BY reports received by
way Of the Austrian telegraph stations
on the Russian frontier that
Penjdeh was occupied By Colonel Allah
anon on the "a inst
Russia explains that Komaro6 was
obliged 70 occupy Penjdeh In order TO
stop the piliaging Of the district By Tur-
comans, and that the Afghzns had threat
cned 10 resume Offensive operations.
Although the peace side Of the balance
IL slowly rising, the executive depart
ments are relaxing none Of the vigor
Of their preparations for war. The full
force Of officers aud artisans at Wool
wich Arsenal has been worked through
out this week, day and night preparing
heavy sea ordnance. The special
object Of yesterdays overwork was the
armlng of the chartered transatlantic
vessels, Oregon and America. The pro-
fcssional anu other critics OF the Admir-
laty hare renewed their attack, and hnd
many chances TO carp At the present prep
arations. The latest charge Is that there Is
scarcely . vessel In the Pet Channel feet
that could steam 100 miles 1t the rate Of
ten knots per hour without disabling her
machinery. The Admiralty officials re-
ply that il Is quite possible that their OPP
ponents would be unable to traverse
the same distance at i've knots
per hour without some mishap.
Il IL admitted that Russia has more
naval vessels than England, but the reply
IL made that England annually spends
more on her navy than Russia does on
hers, the natural corrollary being that
England's vessels are originally better,
and are better maintained than Russia's.
KoNARoFF's ExPLASATToS.
ST.. PETERSBURG, April lS- - The
Prossetelsfrennj TIssfaek Government
messenger) published yesterday . tele-
gram from General Komarof explaining
the cause Of the battle with the Af1hans
on March s0th. on Msrch 25ih, this dis
patch says, the Afghans encsmped In
force on the Russian bank OF Kushk
River Wishing to avoid . conflict
KomaroG paid no attention 10 them, ex-
cept TO keep . watch upon their move
ments. Finding themselves onmolested,
the Afghans became more aggressive
a. accessions TO their numbers
from time to time arrived, and finally
captured commanding position on the
nights, driving back the Russian pickets.
who occupied It, and advancing their
own picket line. Komaro6 thereupon
requested the Afghan commander 70
withdraw 70 the opposite bank OF the
river. lie refused to comply with this
request, saying that be was
acting entirely upon the advice
Of British officials A second
request, couchcd In the most friendly
terms, was dispatched. but TO this no an
swer WAS returned. Komaro6 then, hop
ing 70 intimidate the Afghans BY ~ A.
gressIve movement, advanced : part Of
his army, when the Afghans opened 6ro
on them. The Russians then advanced In
orce, and made short work Of the A.
-haue -