St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1885-04-10

a conclusion, and was dissatisfied with II.
Within the past twenty-four hours, however,
said the premier, subsequent communica-
ton has been received from Russia, and this
appeared, in the opinion of the government,
to place the matter in a
MORE HOPEFUL POSITION,
and being asked what the nature of the sub
sequent communication was Mr.. Gladstone
said that it would be impossible at present
for the government to make any further
statement concerning the pending negotia-
tions about the Afghan frontier, in view OF
the grave occurrences reported. Continuing,
Mr.. Gladstone said that it was evident that
the Russians had attacked the Afghans. The
! Afghans had in this attack been defeated,
after making a gallant resistance. 1t was
apparent also that the Russians after the
fight had returned to their former positions or
at least to the left bank of the Kushk river,
which might be equivalent to such retire
ment. The government had been informed,
the premier went on, that the Russians had
made every effort to induce the Afghans TO
BEGIN THE FIGHTING.
The Russian troops had even twice at
tempted to forcibly pass through the Afghan
picket lines After one Of these attempts
had failed to provoke the Afghan attack,
Capt. Yates met Russian chief of staff and
talked to him about the conduct of the
Russian soldiers being an evident violation
of the Russian agreement to not
| advance pending the outcome OF the nego-
tiations. The Russian officer stated he had
no knowledge that any arrangement existed
AGAINST A RUSSIAN ADVANCE.
Capt Yates referred to the official dispatch
! sent from ST. Petersburg on March II to
London, assuring England that orders would
be at once sent to the Russian officers at the
| front, directing them to forbid any advance,
ana 20 do all in their power to prevent prov
ocation of the Afghans. The Russian officer
declared he knew nothing whatever of
any such arrangement. Mr.. Gladstone,
in commenting on this, said that
England had kept her part of this agree
ment. Up to March 30, at least, the Afghans
had made no advance nor any forward
movement of any kind. So far as the infor-
nation possessed by the ministers went, the
govern ment, Mr.. Gladstone stated, must re-
gard the attack by the Russians upon
PENJDEH AS UNPRovoKED.
The government had asked for an explana-
ton of this attack from Russia, but of course
sufficient time had not yet elapsed for the
receipt Of au answer to this request. Sir
Edward Thornton, the British ambassador to
st. Petersburg had, however, last night tele-
graphed that NJ. Dcgiers, the Russian prime
minister, mad expressed for himself and for
the car an earnest hope that this unhappy
| incident might not prevent the continuation
Of the
NEGOTIATIONS FOR PEACE.
This remark was received with shouts of
derisive laughter) Sir Stafford Northcote,
the tory leader, at this point arose. and re-
calling the premier's statement just made
that the government believed that after de-
feating the Afghans in Penjdeh the Russians
had retired, asked sarcastically if it was not
more reasonable to believe that after driving
the Afghans out of Penjdeh the Russians
stayed and
OCCUPIED THE PLACE.
To this Mr. Gladstone said that Of course
the natural inference would be that the Rus
slams now occupy Penjdeh. "Concerning
this statement, however, ''the premier added,
''some confusion exists, because the state
ment that the Russians occupy Penjdeh
comes from q British officer who had left the
spot at the time of the fight, whilst Sir Ed
ward Thornton reports subsequently to this
that NJ Daaiors had stated that the Russians
after attacking the Afghans did MT occupy
Penjdeh."
Many questions were at once asked Mr..
Gladstone about the ambiguity of the
expression used by NJ. Degiers,
and whether the Russians might not
have occupied Penideh without having
occupied it Immediately after the battle.
Mr. Gladstone evaded these questions as
idle, and to others said that the government
had no reason to believe that any aggres-
sive act had been done to the Afghans to
provoke the attack on Pinjdeh. This decla-
ration created a sensation, and for mo-
ment the house resounded with cries of
''hear," 'hear," ''hear.'
| GREATLY ENHANCED PRICES.
LONDON, April AT Lloyds', war risks
were dealt in at greatly enhanced prices.
Premiums on vessels trading in Russian
waters were quoted at 2(d5 guineas percent
age Foreign wheat rose 23d per quarter,
and holders were unwilling to sell even at
this advance.
ENGLAND DEMANDS PARTICULARS.
LONDON, April 9.-Engldnd will at once
demand of Russia an explanation of the
Russian conduct in forcing battle upon the
Afghans. This demand will, 1t is under
stood, be coupled with demand for the
withdrawal of the Russian forces to the north
! of Sarakhs.
THE AFGHANs DEFEAT THE RUSSIANS
A letter received from Meshed, whence it
was dated on the eth of March, states that it
was at that time rumored that recently
the Afghans had sent force out from Herat,
and that this force had attacked the
Russian troops in Zulfkar pass and COM
PEELED them to retreat from the pass. The
letter added that the rout of the Russians on
this occasion was so complete that forty of
their soldiers and two officers were driven to
seek refuge on the Persian side of the Herri-
! Road river.
OF THE GREATEST IMPORTANCE.
| NJ. Lessar, the Russian Afghan boundary
commissioner, at present in London, in an
! interview published in this evenings Pail
/ Mall Gazette, concerning the statements
made in this Meshed letter. stated that he re-
garded the news as of the greatest i'm
portance II it was true. He added
that the Meshed letter if true
afforded complete explanation of Gen.
! Komoroff's attack upon the Afghans at
! Penjdeh.
! GLADSTONE ANXIOUS AND CAREwoRN.
LONDON, April 9.-Mr. Gladstone in the
! house of commons appeared anxious and
careworn. Lord Randolph Churchill, on
entering the house, was warmly greeted by
both conservative and liberal members. The
general opinion expressed in the lobby was
/ that
NOTHING CAN PREVENT WAR.
When Mr.. Gladstone declared that the
Russian attack on Penjdeh appeared to be
uuprovoked aggression, the house warmly en-
dorsed his phrase.
Mr. GLADSTONE REPLIES FURTHER.
Later in the evening, Mr.. Gladstone.
replying to aquestion asked by Sir Richard
Cross, said that the government had received
another telegram from Sir Peter Lumsden,
which tended TO qualify the statement by
] him lMr Gladstonel in reply to Sir