Morning journal and courier., 1885-04-14
News by Telegraph FROM ALL QUARTERS. WAR IN THE BALANCE. Russia Again Asked To
 Explain. < RIOTOUS LORD MAYOR. Riel's Half Breeds Re-
 fuse Peace. ANOTHER BAD DAY FOR GRANT. Eight Buildings Fall In A
 Crash.
ANOTHER BAD DAY FOR GRANT.
E5ght Buildings Fall In A
 Crash.
RUSSIA ASKED TO EXPLAIN


 Why She is Pushing Troops Into the
 Disputed Territory-Active War Pre-
 parations Going on in England.
 LONDON, April 13.-The Cabinet was in session until late hour this afternoon. Nothing has been learned as to the result of the deliberations, but immediately after the meeting closed long despatch was tele- graphed to Sir Edward Thornton, British minister at St. Petersburg. It is stated on authority that the government has received new and full information confirming the re- ports that Russian troops are still being pushed forward into the disputed territory at various points and especially along the Muryhad river and it is believed that the telegram to Sir Edward Thornton contains in some form demand for an explanation of this fact from Russia.
 Major Nicholson and Captain Day of the royal engineers have left Rawal Pindi for Herat, accompanied by a picked body of non. commissioned officers and men. It is understood that they are sent by request of the Ameer to assist the Afghans in complet- ing the Qualifications of that place. A large quantity of stores with material for con structing telegraph lines are being forwarded to Herat. Major Nicholson and Captain Day had several interviews at Rawal Pindi with Lord Dufferin and the Ameer and are the bearers of letters from the Ameer to his officers at tfe front. Quantities of to Herat and Gurlin under the escort of British and native Indians accom- panied by Afghan officers despatched by the Ameer. The Afghan troops which may be placed under Sir Peter Lumsden's command will be furnished with these weapons and trained in their use by the officers who are conveying them. The endorsements which were sent to Sir Peter Lumsden, and which it is supposed have now reached him, will bring his force up to six thousand men.
 The lords of the admiralty have decided finally on the armaments of each of the fast cruisers which are being prepared for active service The whole of the fast American liners taken by the government are to be converted into cruisers, but they are in addi- ton to be fitted with transport accommoda- ton. Vessels of the Oregon, America, Ari- zona Alaska and Etruria class will each receive six ten-inch breech-loading rifed guns, three machine Gar diner or Nordenfeldt) and torpedo and electrical equipment. In addition to the or strength, ships of this class will carry gun ner crews numbering 250 men each and 8 torpedo crew specially instructed Cruisers of the second class are to carry four ten-inch guns each
 In connection with the fact that orders were telegraphed to the British na- val authorities in Egypt to-day to closely watch the two Russian ships now in the Suez canal it is learned that the British naval force available for blocking both ends of the canal in case of trouble consists of three first-class ironclads, three vessels of the cruiser class and seven gun boats, torpedo boats and despatch boats. Opposite the Mediterranean mouth of the canal at the island of Cyprus there is an unprecedented accumulation of naval and military stores and surveys have been completed for works des- tined to transform the island into an important naval stronghold, completing the chain of British fortresses between En- gland and the Turkish coast of Asia and practically commanding the entrance to the Dardanelles. The troops now holding Cy- prus will be reinforced until further orders by one battalion of infantry, one battery of heavy guns and three torpedo launches. Preparations for the embarkation of these re- Inducements nave been ordered at Aldershot and Woolwich.