The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1885-05-15
THE LION ANp THE BEAR.


clsdstsne Makes Another Speech Giving
Better View OF the Afghan Questio1-
Peace Prospects.
LONDON, May s.-Mr. Gladstone, reply
ing to questions in the House Of Commons
said that although on receipt of the first
telegram he had described the Penjdeh at
fair as an act Of unprOvoked aggression,
still he had never presumed that the infor-
nation in his possession when he made that
declaration was unquestionable. As
matter of fact, within twenty-four hours
afterward news containing important quail
fcation of that first received had come to
hand. Mr.. Gladstone had no doubt, he
said, that when the Earl of Dufferin, British
Viceroy in India at Lahore, after his return
from his conference with the Ameer at
Rawal-Pindi described the Russian attack
As an act of unprovOked aggression with
out any qualification. the Viceroy's state
ment was warranted by the circumstances
under which he spoke and the knowledge
in his possession, but Russia had since de-
MED that Colonel Alikhanoff had ordered the
Turcomans under his command to make an
attack. The report that Colonel Alikhanoff
had made such an order was made to Eng
land by Captain Yates and his party, who
belonged to Sir Peter Lumsden's Boundary
Commission. and who were i'm Penjdeh dur
ing the battle, but 1t has been ascertained
since that neither Captain Yates nor any OF
his party were aware of any other fOunda-
ton for that report than that of a rumOr.
Continuing, Mr.. Gladstone said: That Lord
Dufferin had arranged with Abdurrahman
Khan, the Ameer of Afghanstan, the basis
upon which the British Government had 50
FAR proceeded i'm the frontier affair, and IL
further communications with the Ameer
upon the subject should become
necessary, they would be made. Being
asked if Lord Dufferin, as Viceroy of India,
approved of the Governments course
toward Russia in the Afghan dispute,
Mr.. Gladstone refused to say
whether he did or not. The con-
ference between Earl Granville and
Baron de Staal, arranged to be held to-day
at the Foreign Office, for the purpose of
formally opening the discussion on the de-
limitation of the Russan-Afghan boundary,
was postponed, as Baron de Staal is await
ing communication on the subject from
St Petersburg. Negotiations continue on
the demand of Earl Granville thar Russia's
aSsuTanceS that neT troops Will not auNdilcc
to Herat shall take the form of treaty.
1t is reported that NJ. De Giers maintains
that the simple expression Of such inten-
ton is a sufficient pledge. General FelOns
has boon recalled from Tifls to ST Peters
burg to assist in the delimitation inquiry.
NJ. De Giers has instructed General komar-
off to prepare detailed report with chart
of the advance on Penjdeh, as q
basis for reference to an arbitration. NJ.
Lessar, the Russian boundary commissioner,
had conference with Earl Granville yes.
terday with respect to the delimination OF
the Russo-Afghan frontier. An arbitrator
has not yet been chosen. The Ddtty Ne,cs
says it is able to state that Earl Dufferin
warmly approves the settlement that ha.
been made by England and Russia, which
will appear from papers which are about to
be laid on the table in Parliament The
Ne,rs also says that the prospect of peace
will not affect the budget. The money will
be devoted to the work Of increasing the
navy. and any residue will be applied to
the sinking fund.