The Portland daily press., 1885-03-30
RUSSIA AND ENGLAND.
An Apparent Lull in the Warlike
Talk.
Several Of the Fast Cunard Steamers
Chartered by England.
Gunboats Ordered to Prepare for
Immediate Service.

LONDON, March 28-Advices from Russia
, say that preparations are being made for war,
aud that silence has been imposed on the Rus.
sian newspapers. The Times learns that the
Russian government has ordered that 10000
troops be msssed at Baku on the Caspian Sea,
and has instructed the Governor of the Cau-
casus to go TO st. Petersburg for a consultation.
The Conservatives are annoyed at the inti-
nation of the Marquis of Harrington that the
discussion of the Queens message be post
poned until after Easter, and will probably
protest against the postpcnement, contendiDg
that the law provides that if Parliament is
not in session when the reserve force of the
government ia called out, it must Assem- BILE
within ten days to consider the situation of
affairs. The opposition fear that the measure
is only ruse intended to irighten Russia.
TEHERAN, March 2S.-On the return of tho
Ameer of Afghanistan to .Cabul, he will con-
vene durbaF, and ask the notables to agree TO
an increase of the Afghan army.
LONDON, March 28.--Despatches from Gull
son and Penjdeh show that the situation on
the Afghan frontier is unchanged. The COM
mission under Lumsden has complsted the
bases for the delimitation of the boundary and
is still awaiting the arrival of Gen. Z9linow,
the Russian commissioner. Russian subjects
OF the conquered counties OF Central Asia are
said to be ripe for revolt, and are eagerly look
ing for an Anglo-Russian war, which will
enable them to rise in rebellion and attack the
Russian army from the rear.
LONDON, March 2S There is a marked lull.
in the war scare. In fact, among the very
sober-minded, there is no war scare at all.
Some of the most fiery jingoes, even, are be-
ginning to ask themselves what real grounds
they have had tor causing all the alarm of the
past week.
The first announcement of the Queen's sum-
mons calling out the army reserves and militia
almost created panic. 1t aroused tho ma
tlonal pugnacity thoroughly. 1t made every
hghting Englishman ready to fight right away.
The Army and Navy Gazette blames the
minor news agencies for fomenting wsr ru-
mors. 1t charges them with having circulated
yarns about the alleged hurried calling out of
ships, in which stories, very often, ships ac-
tually on duty at foreign stations have figured
as being ordered to outfit.
Ihe Russian people are alarmed" tele-
graphs the Paris correspondent of the London
Times, sat the idea of war. They know he
says, "that war with England would be dis.
astrous to Russia. The Czar needs money in
the event OF war, and it woald be only possible
for him to obtain loan upon ruinous terms
Russians here admit that England cannot re-
cede, while with Russia the whole question is
merely one OF ambition. All the po Rers have
Instructed their ambassadors at ST Petersburg
ana London to urge the Russian and English
governments to moderation and concession.
The ambassadors state that both powers are
really anxious for peace.''
LONDON, March 29.-The British govern
ment has chartered the new Cunard steamer
Etrurla, and the steamers Oregon and Alaska
for service as armed cruisers and transports.
They will be fitted with 10 guns each.
The Admiralty has ordered that the men-of-
war Iron Duke, Hotspur, Hecate, Conquest
and Hyscnthe ne prepared for service. 1t is
presumed they will go to the Baltic, the Iron
Duke acting as flagship.
The Admiralty has also ordered to active
service Fl. M. S. Infexible, Devastation, Cy-
clops Rupert, Cordelia, Voluge, Active and
Emerald, and that they were to be ready for
sea in few days.