Semi-weekly south Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1883-1889, 1885-04-17
FOREIGN NEWS.

PLANTATION of the presence of Capt. |
Yates, of Gen. Lumsden's staff, at the
Kushk river battle, and Of the part he
is said to have taken in that engage
ment. Special dispatches from st.
Petersburg even assert that Russia
has demanded the recall of Gen. Lums-
den himself, on the ground of his
pronounced sympathy with the AT
ghans, in their hostility towards Rus
STA, but the statement is doubtful.
wRANGLING WITH TURKEY.
The government is still wrangling
with Turkey over the proposed An
glo-Turkish alliance. Long inter-
views between Earl Granville and
Musurus Pasha, the Turkish minis
ter, and Fehmi Pasha, the sultan's
special envoy, are ofdaily occurrence.
The sultan is coy and is coquetting
with both England and Russia. lie
probably never felt his Importance in
European politics SO keenly as at
this moment, and when Mr.. Glad
stone, who formerly described him as
the unspeakable Turk, is bidding for
his favor against the Russians who
whipped him in 1877, the Russians
are making tempting overtures 10
Turkey, batting the hook with the
provinces on her northern boundary,
the possession of which would tend
to consolidate and perpetuate the Tur-
kish empire in Europe. The solicit
tude of both England and Russia for
Turkeys friendship is of course
caused by the latter's control of the
Dardanelles which command the
entrance to the Black sea.
There is, however, this important
difference between the two suitors for
Turkeys favor: England could force
the straits and Russia could not. No
ordinary war vessels of either navy
could ass the Dardene les castles
and the forts and batteries which
line the straits from the Egean sea
to the sea of Marmora, but the forts
could be silenced by two or three of
he British monster turret ships
such as the InheXible, Devastation,
Terror Alexandria or Hercules.
Then these floating steel forts could
be stationed at either end of the
straits to protect the English and ex-
clude the Russian vessels. These
facts are as well known TO the sui
tai as 10 the British admiralty, and
it is firmly believed here that his
friendship will eventually be given
to the side carrying the heaviest
guns.
ANOTHER OBSTACLE TO THE BRITISH.
Military movements in Afghanis-
tan are exceedingly difficult at pres
ent on account of the almost unpre-
cedented severity of the weather.
There are ncessant storms of snow
and hail on the mountains and rains
in the valleys have swollen the rivers
into floods, which are impossible by
any means Of transportation with
which Gen. Lumsden's forces are
supplied. The weather is exception
ably cold and this fact tells more Sc
verely on the British officers and In
dian troops who are from the south,
than upon the Russians who come
from the north.
FRANCE TO REMAIN NEUTRAL.
PARIS, April 15.-La PaiX says
that in the event of war between
England and Russia, the other pow
ers, especially France, must remain
strictly neutral. La PaiX hints that
such an agreement already exists.
PENSIONERS wARNED TO IN READI-
NESS.
KINGSTON, ONT, April 15.-The
imperial pensioners on being paid TO-
day were warned that in the event
ofwar between England and Russia,
all under so years ofage might be call
ed on to serve. The veterans received
the news with great satisfaction.
LONDON, April l5.-The Post has
reason to believe that the govern
ment has received unsatisfactory
dispatches from st. Petersburg.
Russia insists upon maintaining the
positions which she has already &C.
cupied, and intimates that unless
England holds herself responsible
for the acquiecence of the ameer in
these advances Gen. Komaroff will
advance and sieze Herat.
THE TROUBLE IN EGYPT PLAYING OUT.
DoNGoLA, April l4.,-Deserters
from the Mahdis army report that the
rebels have evacuated Berti and Me-
temneh, and that the garrisons Of
those two places have gone respect
lively to Berber and Khartoum.
Numbers of the Bishareens are leav-
ing Osman Digna's country and
taking their families to Berber.
SUAKIM, April l4.-British cavalry
this morning visited Otao, eight
miles beyond Handaub. No hostile
Arabs were encountered. Water
was found to be plentiful. The
country appeared to be entirely open.
The Arab population freely sell sup
plies to the English. Italian troops
have occupied Arafah on Austey Bay,
on the Red Sea, and have hoisted
the Italian flag alongside that of
Egypt.