Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1885-04-10
No Way to Avoid the
Pending Crisis.
The Battle Between the Rus
slams and Afghans.
Intense Excitement in London
GladstOne's Opinion of the
Situation.

uen homor0U, Russian commander, at.
| tackled the fortified positions of the Afghans
on the Koshk river, on March Goth. The
afghan forco, numbering 1000 men, with
eight cannon, was defeated. Their loss was
500 men killed and wounded.
All the artillery, two standards, the entire
camp equipage and provisions were captured.
The Russians lost one officer killed and three
subalterns wounded, besides ten soldiers
killed and twenty-nine wounded.
The London Daily News, in an editorial on
the Afghan question. says:
The thunder-cloud over the Afghan hills is
as menscing as ever. The fact that Russis
agreed 10 joint boundary commission alter
the Afghans had entered Penjdih ii. poses OF
an excuse for an advance of the Russian ou;-
posts and throws such suspicion upon the
good faith Of Russia as t. make it doubtful
whether, after all, ,he Car is not bent On
war.
ST.iPETERsBURG, April 8.
The Official Messenger pub ishes the fol
lowing: Gen. komoroff reports that in con-
sequence of the provocative and manifes,
hostile proceedings of the Afghaus, he was
compelled to attack them on the 30th ult.,
with the results as stated. When the fighting
ended. Gen. Komoroh returned across the
river to the positions he had formerly occu-
pied.
LONDON, April 8.
There has been tall in the stock market
today, in consequence of the Russian attack
on the Afghans. Russian securities have
fallen three points from the prices prevailing
yesterday.
IL 80 Z. M.-Russian securities continue
to fall rapidly. A dispatch to the Times from
Guleran dated April 3, states that the Rus
slams, while making pr.text of changing
the positions of their outposts on the Afghan
frontier, attacked Penjdeh, March 80, and
drove the Afghans out of their position. The
Afghans stubbornly resisted their assaults
The weather was wet at the time of the at
tack, which rendered the muzzle loading
guns of the AfQhans useless. Two compa-
mics held position against Afghans until they
were killed. The Afghans retreated to Mar
auchak in perfect order. The Russians
made no pursuit. The Sarahks remained
neutral, but p'undered the Afghan camp.
The British officers remained until the At
ghans effected their retreat, when they joined
the camp of Sir Peter Lumsden.
The Telegraph publishes third edition,
which was on the street a little before two
o'clock this afternoon. This states that the
gravity of the news from the Afghan bor-
der has not been in any degree diminished by
telegraph wire to Meshed has been cut down
for some days.
A Paris despatch says: Three per cent.
rentes are informally quoted at rs f. Is C.
for the account. The closing prices yester-
day was 78 f. 20c.
There 10 great excitement on the London
Stock Exchange, and almost panic prev ails
over the news of the fight in Afghanlstau
which is regarded as equivalent to declara-
ton OF war. Foreign funds are denoralized
Russian securities are quoted at S23.
l.30 p. M.-Paris advices state that three
per cent rentes were officially quoted at the
opening of the market at II {. 20 c. for ac-
counts.
The Telegraph has despatch from ALA
habad, which states that Gen. Komoref. after
his victory, occupied Pendjeh which had long
been held by an Afghan garrison. The Tele-
graph expresses the fear that British officers
tell in the route to Pendjeh.
3 p. M.-Paris advices say that per cent
rentes have fallen to rs I. 80 C. for accounts
P. M.-Consols have recovered to 94t
for both money and the account.
A cabinet council is now sitting and the
result Of the deliberations is awaited with
great anxiety.
The government has ordered four thousa sand
pack saddles for India. The Armstrong; are
busy completing the guns ordered from them.
1t is expected that the government will char
ter several more fast steamers.
$50 p. M.-Consols have fallen to 94a for
both money and account.
Baron De Staal, Russian Ambassador, be-
iieves that the fighting was more serious than
the dispatches have indicated. NJ. Lessar,
special Russian ambassador. expresses the
opinion that the battle was brought about bv
the Afghans attacking Russian pickets and
driving them from their posts. This, he
thinks, would have caused the Russians to
retaliate, and thus general fight wonld be
brought on. He still has hopes that the
boundary question may find pacific settle
ment.
The whole stock list sympathizes with the
marked decline of consols and Russian secur-
tiles, and Egyptian securities have fallen
four points.
Parliament reassembled today after the
Easter recess. In the House Of Commons
Gladstone confirmed the news received OF the
battle between the Russians and Afghans and
said: "From information the government
has received of the fight, the Russians have
apparently been guilty of an unjustifable
attack on the Af9hsns. England has de-
manded from Russia a full explanation in re.
gard to the affair"
In conclusion, he said that the government
has no information corroborative of the re-
port that the Russians had occupied Pendiah.
NEW YORK, April 9.
Kirnan's news agency reports I'VE learn
on good authority that the Russian govern
ment has entered into negotiations with prom
inent parties here for the purchase of three
steamships to be used in the war with Eng
land"
LONDON, April 8.
st. Petersburg merchants have telegraphed
their agents at Paris not to consign goods for
them via. the Baltic Sea in English vessels.
MONTREAL, April 8.
The excitement in thit city over the posi-.
bic war between Russia and England is in
tense. Volunteers are now looking for
marching orders to the east instead of the
west.
BERLIN, April 8.
Emperor William shows great anxiety re.
garding the tension between England and
Russia, and has asked Prince Bismarck tc