St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1885-04-21
Russia Apparently Demanding More Than
England Can Consistently
Grant.
Possible Opportunity Presented for
France to Take 0fense at
England.
Belief in London that Graham's
Forces VIII be Recalled from
the Soudan.
NJ. DeGters' Reply to Earl Granville
Concerning Komaroff,s Battle
at Penjdeh.
The situatior serious.

very serious, OWING 10 huSSld llclcdolliS
her demands to such an extent that 1t Will
be impossible for England to accept such
terms. NJ. De Giers, the Russian premier,
who is evidently determined to profit by his
recent success in negotiatingwith the English
foreign Office, has apparently decided not
to yield a single iOta to Earl Granville. 1t
is now feared Russia has overstepped the
bounds of British forbearance as it is as
serted on high authority that England will
never succumb to these demands OF the
Russian premier. A large number OF i'm
portant dispatches passed between the Brit
ish and foreign governments on Saturday
and Sunday. The cabinet remained in
London awaiting reply to the latest from
Earl Granville. Dispatches from CrOnstadt
state the Russian feet there has been Or
dered to prepare for war instantly, and that
thirtytwo Russian men-of-war have hoisted
their flags and put to sea.
IMPORTANT DISPATCHES.
The cabinet met to-day to consider the
contents of a number of important dis
patches Just received from Lord Dufferin.
Earl Granville, British foreign minister,
stated this afternoon in the house of lords,
that the government has received dispatch
from Sir Peter Lumsden, the contents of
which the government were not prepared to
make public, any further than to state that
it contained contradiction of the Penjdeh
incident as given by Gen. KomarOf. The
government were, Earl Granville said, ex-
pecting further kilograms from Sir Peter
Lumsden and until they were received the
government would not be prepared to make
further statements.
POSSIBLE TROUBLE WITH FRANCE.
Lord Randolph Churchill, Conservative,
asked Mr., Gladstone how far England was
complicated and how far responsible in the
suppression of the French newspaper, the
BosphOre Egyptien. at Cairo. Mr.. Glad
stone replied that Egypt had not acted alone
in the matter of SeiZing and SuppreSSlng the
paper, and admitted that England was not
in position to disclaim all responsibility
for the act. Mr.. Gladstone gave notice that
the government would introduce the ex-
pected motion for vote of credit to-mor-
row. The premier's replies concerning the
BosphOrie Egyptien and the Afghan incl
dents were to-day very guarded. He an
swered number of questions about the
Anglo-Russian dispute with studied eva
sion, and in all he said in the house
of commons to-day he added little or
nothing to what has been already known.
In evidence of the present bellicoze feeling
among members of parliament, it may be
mentioned that when Mr.. Gladstone une-
quivocally stated that Sir Peter Lumsden's
telegram of Friday confirmed his previous
accounts Of the fight at Penjdeh, and con-
ficted with those made about the same battle
by Gen. Kamaroff, the declaration was re-
ceived with low ripple of satisfaction,
which soon developed in a cheer.
Fears are entertained that the Bosphore-
Egyptian affair is likly to create difficulty
between France and Egypt. The situation
at the close of the session in parliament
this evening was one of general feeling of
uneasine5s, bordering on alarm.
THE PENJDEH BATTLE.
Advices from Tirpul, under date of April
16. states that the result of all inquiries
shows that the attack on Penjdeh by the
Russians was absolutely unprovOked. Capt.
Yate, who remained at Penjdeh in order to
see that the Afghans respected an interview
with the Russian staff, on the day previous
to the battle, at which he pointed
out that the Afghans had occupied the west
bank of the Kushk river on and since the
18th of March. The Russians complained
of the demeanor Of the Afghan troops and
of the aggressive preparations apparent in
their lines. Also that the Afghans had do
tanned some Turcoman troopers employed at
Pul-i-Khatun, in the Russian service
They further accused the Afghans of re-
connoitering, with the sweeping charge of
arrogance. The facts were that Gen.
Komaroff had pushed 300 troops forward to
a commanding position before the Afghans
proceed to strengthen their weaker outposls.
This led to the Russians alleging arrO-
gance. The Russians evidently wanted to
deal telling blow TO the Afghans in order
to reduce their waning prestige in the Tur-
conan country. and were obliged to invest
themselves with this pretext to break
the truce. The attitude of the Afghans
was studiously moderate and there
is no color to the pretenSe that their move
ments Were even irritating. They even al
lowed the Russians to inspect their ar
rangementS at Pul-i-Khatun. Gen. Kom-
aroffs troops are reported to have with
drawn from Penjdeh after the battle
There withdrawal, however, was more
ruse by which they sacrificed nothing. and
which. it was calculated, might moderate
the resentment that was certain to be shown
when the news would reach England In
India the effects of the Afghan defeat are
already painfully obvious.
EXPLAINING KoNABoFF's ATTACK
The reply of M.DeGiero. Russian foreign
minister, to Earl Granville, for an explana-
of Gen. komarOff's attack upon Afghans.
on kushk river. which was received at the
foreign office last Saturday, was considered
in the cabinet council to-day. The reply
says Gen. Komaraffs dispatches. copies of
which have been forwarded to the British
government. sufficiently explain the Penjdeh
incident, and that il is, therefore. needless
TO supplement them. NJ. DeGiero does not
express even slight regret forGen. Komaroff-s IS
action. and he even suggests that Gen.
KOmaroff would have neglected his duty if
he failed to attack the Afghans.
TO RECALL GEN. GRAHAM
The Daily News. in an editorial this
morning. says it believes the government
has decided upon the immediate recall of
Gen. Graham'S force from the Soudan.
THE BREACH WIDENING.
There has been continuous exchange of
dispatches between Earl Granville and De
Giers since Saturday. 1t is apparent that
the breach IS widening.
A DIFFERENT OPINION.
The Pail Mall Gazette states this after
noon that despite all the prevalent alar1nist
ItililolS IL II III u ptSitipu 10 St1Ic tl1I the
differences between England and Russia are
in fair way toward settlement
RUSSIA DECLINES.
It is stated that Russia declines tn s,b-
scribe to a distinct and definite obligation n
keep her forces beyOnd the boundary. which
England proposes as the only stable settle
ment.
THE BRITISH ARMY.
The blue book puts the effective strength
Of the British regular army az 1SS. 600: that
of the reserves 1900; militia I25. 600. and
that Of volunteers 215, 900 men. Total
5T5, coo.
AFGHAS's ANXIETY.
Meshed adviees OF April 20 saws. The
Russians are stin at Aktapa. Gen. Komar-
off has rTra fn SarnEhS nrd 9 -