Daily Republican. [volume] ([Wilmington, Del.]) 1874-1890, 1885-04-13
Komarof Tells Whv
THE RUSSIAN BLAMEs THE AP.
GHAHs-THE AEWs MORE
WARLIKE In TONE.
"A DETAILED STATEMENT.

-s-oS
LONDON, April Il. General Komarof,
has made detailed statement tending
to show that the Afghans provoked the
recent battle The tffect Of this state
men +, however, has been weaker ned by
reports received by way OF the Austrian
telegraph stations on the Russian from.
tier. Penjdeh was occupied by Alikha.
noff on the I'd instant.
Russia explains that General Koma-
rolf WAS obliged TO occupy Penjdeh in
order TO stop the pillsging Of tho dis
trict by Turcomans and that the
Afghans had,threatened TO resume often.
sive operations.
The Russian Minister of War has
sent congratulatOry message to Gene
raj Komarof and has direc ed him to
thank tho troops, in the name OF the
Czar, and to announce to them that all
who took part In the battle will be re
wardes according 70 their rank.
KoMARoFF's EXPLANATION.
General Komarof's dispatch, dated
April l, as published in the Official
Messenger, Of st. Petersburg, Is AS fol-
lows: "On he 25th of March our detach.
ment approached Dashkerpri. When
near the bridge we saw an entrench-
ment occupied by Afghans. In order
TO avoid conflict stationed my troops
five versts a little over three miles |
from the Afghan position. Negotiations
with Captain Tate a member of Sir
Peter LumsdeD' 3 force1 commenced on
the Goth.
"When ths Afghans became convinced
that we had no intention OF attacking
them they daily drew nearer to our
camp On the 9th they dispatched against
n company OF ours, covering arecOnnoi.
.tring party three companies " it'll gun
and some cavalry. Naxt day, their
audacity and arrogance increasing, they
occupied high and commanding posi-
tion Oh the left flank of our camp,
made entrenchments aud placed a
cavalry post IN the rear Of our line and
a picket within gunshot Of our fort.
sUmhoNINa THE AFGHANs To
EvACUATE.
On the 2O,h sent the Afghan com
mander sn energetic summons TO evacu
ate the left bank cf the Kusbk and the
right bank Of the Murghab III far al the
mouth of the Kushk, He replied that,
acting on the advice Of the English. he
would lot retire beyond the Kushk
l then sent him private letter,
couched in aimable terms. On the 30th,
In order to support my demand,
marched with my detachments against
the Afghan position, still expecting q
Pacific issue but fire from the Afghan
artillery and an attack of their cavalry
compelled me TO accept o combat"
The st. Petersburg journal says that
the foregoing statement leaves no ques
tion of Russian aggression; that more
over Sir Peter Lumsden's second dis
patch to the British Government justified
General Komaroff's action, and that
even Mr.. Gladstone hoo si--~-- praisa-
worthy anxiety to atone Tor the un-
gracious words about Russia which first
escaped him.
The Russian Con sui at Cairo has or
dered the Russian transposts Nostroma
and st. Petersburg to proceed 10 Vladi-
vostock, avoiding all British ports.
HoNoRs TO THE AMEER.
The Ameer upon leaving Rawal. Pindi
expressed himself as certain that the
whole OF Afghanistan will welcome the
ssistance of British and Indian troops
10 repel Russia.
BE- fore his departure to-day the Ameer
WAS invested with the Grand Gross
of the Star of India. Addressing the
officers present at the ceremony he
expressed con- ntident hope of continued
friendship bet~een Aighanistan and
India.
1t is reported that Lieutenant Gene
raj n. Obroutchefi. chic. Of the general
staff OF the Russian army, Is about H
proceed TO Merv to assume command OF
all the military operations In Turkestan
and Afghanistan. General Obroutcht Il
Is known as the coDqueror Of Moukhtal
Pasha, whom he defeated at Aladja
Dagh, after pitched battle lasting two
days, in October, 1877.