Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-05-01
KoMARoFFs EXPLANATION.
The Old Assertion that He was Forced
10 Fight for Self Protection.

10 Fight for Self Protection.
ST. PETERSBURG, April 30.-The Official
Messenger publishes the following tele-
gram from Gen. Komarof, dispatched
from Askabad on Friday last: "rhe tele-
gram forbidding the occupation of Pend
ieh reached me on March %. / only COM
municated it to the commanders of the
outposts, and did not make it generally
known. Col. Zacrzevski, with my per-
mission, interviewed by correspondence
some British officers in private capa-
city. ! did not admit their right to
treat officially. l addressed my demands
direct to the commander of the Afghan
force. Gen. Alkihanoff, with sotnia of
TurcOmans, rode in the direction of Mar
kals along the river bank on the Russian
side. 1t was by no means my intention
to advance on Pendjeh. To march the sot-
MIA in the rear Of 1000 Afghans was in
conceivable. One company of Russians
marched on the heights on the right banks
of the Murghab river, but did not reach
our videttes on the left bank of the same
river. When the Afghans approached,
however, this one company, by my order,
returned to camp" Gen. KOmarotf thus
concludes his dispatch: SIN view Of con-
slant movement over hundreds of versts
3 y
foods, il is impossible to furnish regular
reports"
KONAROFF DEFENDED.
The OdicidI MESSENGER, in an editorial
on the report of Sir Peter Lumsden Of the
capture and occupation Of Pendieh by the
Russians, says: "Bad weather has de-
layed the arrival OF the officer whom Gen.
Komaroff dispatched with detailed ac-
count OF the battle of March 30. Sufficient
data, however. have been received to ar
rive at correct conclusion Of how far
Gen. Lumsdon was warranted IN inn
pugning Gen. kOmarOf7s report. Russia
Is desirous Of friendly settlement with
England, and entrusted the deliberation
of the frontier 10 Joint British and
Russian commission, but the unexpected
entry Of the Afghans into Pendjeh and
the Afghan advance down the Murghab
and Henri Rud rivers, compelled Russia TO
protect her rights In a practical manner
against this arbitrary seizure OIL her terri-
tory. In this view Gen. hOmaron was Or
dered i'm January last to occupy with his
yidettes a line extending from Iuliicar
along the Henri Rud river,yia kech-Risili-
as. Chemenibsid and Ch0uzekhal, as far
as pul-i-Khiisi, where an ancient bridge
crosses the Kushk river, thus forming the
western boundary Of the PendJeh
oasis. The Russian commanders were
enjoined 10 abstain from armed collision
with the Afghans unless the latter pro-
voked an encounter The Russians, as
directed, occupied the above desirable
position on Feb. 90.
THE AGREEMENT NOT TO ADVANCE.
On March Sir Edward Thornton, the
British Minister, informed 81. de Giers,
the Russian Minister for Foreign Affairs,
that the Aighans had been requested not
10 attack tue Russians with the object Of
driving them from their positions, but TO
solely resist n further Russian advance.
England at the same time expressed a
wish that pending settlement Of the
boundary dispute the commanders Of the
Russian outp0sts be ordered 10 re-
frain from making any advance. Rus
ala agreed 20 tins with certain reetric-
tions, and being informed also that