The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1885-04-11
RUSSIA AND ENGLAND.
The Latter's Demand for an Ex-
PLANTATION Not Answered.
Bitter Talk Both in London and st.
Petersburg.
England Preparing for War With
Increased Vigor.
Report That Russia viii Not Blame
KOmarOff for Attacking the Afghans.

LONDON, April 1o.-It is stated that the British
government is buying hundreds of horses in Canada
for military service.
The Russian agents in London have visited the
offices of number of steamship companies and
have made heavy bids for the purchase of their fast
going vessels. These extraordinary offers for steam
aroused the suspicious of the officers of the
companies, who upon inquiry became conyinoed
that if the vessels were sold they would be used by
the Russian government for war purposes, and SO
they reported the facts to the British Admiralty.
1t was stated at the Foreign Office this afternoon
that Russia had not yet replied to the demand of
England for full explanation respecting the Rus
sian attack on the Afghans at Kushk river.
In the House of Commons to-day Mr.. Gladstone
said that reply was received from Russia last
night. This reply stated that Russia had already
asked General Komarof to explain his conduct in
attacking the Afghans. Gladstone added that
Russia had not yet received Gen. KomarotPs ex-
PLANTATION. In regard to the question of the present
occupation Of Penjdeh, Gladstone stated that he
had been in communication upon this subject with
Sir Edward Thornton, British ambassador at St.
Petersburgh, and the latter had informed him that
the Russians do not occupy Penjdeh, but have re-
tired to the positions they occupied before the
battle with the Afghans.
PARIS, April l0.-The Gaulois publishes tele-
gram from Berlin, which gays that Prince Bismarck
has assured banker that, in spite of the incident
at Penjdeh, the Gar hopes 10 preserve peace.
ALEXANDRIA, April 1O.-It is reported here that
the British government has arranged, in the event
of war with Russia, to have the troops operat-
ing in the Soudan sent to Gapolis, at the entrance
Of the Sea Of Marmora, and have their places taken
by Turkish soldiers.
LONDON, April 10.-Lord Dufferin, after con-
sultation with the Ameer, urges the government to
order an immediate advance of troops into Afghan
stan. The Ameer has sent out couriers with orders
to Afghan chiefs to meet him at Cabul for the pur
pose of holding war durbar.
Letters from st. Petersburg mailed at Berlin in
order to escape Russian censorship charge the Rus
sian Minister of War with having sent orders to
bring a conflict with the Afghans and state that
Gen. Komarof started from Merv with reinfor e.
ment for Pulkhisti and took advantage of the
favorable opportunity to make attack soon after
his arrival at the latter place.
LONDON April 1O.-The Daily News saws: Latest
advces from St. Petersburg are of a reassurng
maintained. The English government, has, how
ever, decided to prepare for war with increased
Vigor.
RAWAL PINDI, April 1O.-News of the battle be
tween the Russians and Afghans received by
the Ameer quietly. He has long been convinced
that Russia means to advance to Herat. One hun
dred tons of supplies have been going through
Bolan Pass daily. Orders have been given to in
crease tie supplies to 800 tons daily. The Ninth
Lancers have received orders to go to Quetto next
week.
LONDON, April 1O.-The Standard has received
the following from its correspondent with Sir Peter
Lumsden's force: Accounts of the Afghan losses
asserted that some hundreds of the Afghans
literally massacred. Sir Peter Lumsden has broken
camp at Gulran, and is marching on Trpul station,
on Herat, near Knsan. His force was Overtaken on
the march by severe snow storm, which caused
several delays and great suffering among his reti-
nue..
VIENNA, April 10.-Reliable advices from st.
Petersburg state that Russia considers the excuse
OF Nj De Giers for the attack on the Afghans suth-
cient, and that the government will not recede or
even blame Gen. Komarof, whom it considers did
m kd nor1e
probably provoked the Afghans to cross the river.
CANDAHAR, April 10.-Turcomans have dis
tributed proclamations through the frontier towns
Of Afghanistan, urging Afghans to form an alliance
with Russia.
ST. PETERSBURG, April 10.-The Novoe Yiemya
accused Lord Dufferin of trying to provoke war
thereby hampering the negotiations between Russia
and England.
war break out with Russia, the British government
will charter, among other vessels, three steamships
of the Beaver line negotiations to this end having
already been opened.
PHILADELPHIA, April 1O.-It is rumored that
Barker Bros, of this city, have received orders
from St. Petersburg to purchase the steamships
San Pedro and San Pablo, built some years ago in
Philadelphia for the Central Pacific Railroad Com
pany. The chief advantage these two steamers
have is their vast coal carrying capacity. 1t is
claimed they store sufficient supply of coal to
enable them to remain at sea a longer period than
any other vessels afioat. Moreover they have sufi-
cisnt stability to carry modern guns on the upper
deck and although bv no means fast steamers their
speed Of 10 knots per hour combined with their
ability to remain so long at without going into
port for fnel, it is claimed would enable them to
overhaul and capture hundreds of English vessels
that are now engaged in the carrying trade Of the
world. When asked what truth there was in the
statement, MI. Wharton Barker, of Barker Bros,
said The condition of affairs will not permit me
to talk on the subject just now. Perhaps may
say something in the future"
The English and Russian Press On the
Situation.
IAol.a ~
the news of the battle between the Russians and
Afghans was known to the Ameer before he made
his speech at the durham. In an editorial article
the Standard says 'The last point which Russia
claims if it is not yet occupied is her grasp. Her
soldiers have won it by act of provocation and
shameless violation of the solemn promise made at
Neva. England has acted in good faith even with a
chivalrous scrupulousness akin to simplicity. We
have looked for that honesty in others that have
practieed. We are once more on the brink of a
war which may involve both Europe and ASIA
The Post says that it is almost impossible deal
patiently with Mr.. Gladstone's statement that he
has asked Russia to explain the attack upon the
Afghans and the additional statement that M. De
Giers hoped that the incident might not interrupt
regulations The Post goes on to say: Even
those most de3irous OF peace must feel that all
gotiations are now closed. The question lies in a
nutshell. Russia either did did not acq uaint Gen.
Komarotf with the agreement of March IT,"
In an editorial on finance, the Times saws: sRus-
sia is living largely upon her capital. Under gov
ernment exactions the people are becoming less
relief to the exchequer. This condition of things
must terminate in a smash. English investors will
be wise not to subscribe another sovereign to the
Russian loan.'
ST. PETERSBURG April 1O.-The morning newg-
papers throughout Russia with very few exceptions
are very bellicose in their comments on the recent
battle between the Russians and Afghans on the
Kushk river. They charge the Earl of Dufferin,
viceroy of India, and Sir Peter Lumsden, the Brit
ish commissioner, with provoking war by advising
the Afghans to advance on Pull Khisti, which the
British officials knew part of Russian terri
tory. The Afghans they say, also fully understood
that Pul Khisti was Russian territory, and would
never have attempted to advance their pickets to
that point unless strongly urged to do so by the
British officials. The war party fully endorse the
assertions of the newspapers and are very pugna-
cious over the affair.
&Fhe journal de st. Petersburg says that General
Komaroffs return his own lines after he had
driven Oft the Afghans, indicates that the Russian
attack was caused by the hostile acts Of the AZ
ghans. Thus the affair was only an accidental
conflict snch as is very difficult to avoid when one
considers the strained situation and the close prox
unity of the opposing parties. The journal, how
ever, sees no reason for regarding wal. between
Russia and England inevitable, and expresses
the hope that the battle lately fought will not inter-
fere with the negotiations in progress with
England for an amcable settlement of the per-
picking boundary question. The journal is glad to
hear that the British officers who at the scene
OF the battle reached Afghan territory in safety.
THE FIRST BATTLE GROUND.
Kusiak und NTurghab yers-PeBjdeh-
Hlaruchnk-Aktapa- Sir Peter Lums-
den.
LONDON, April 1o.-The attack by the Russian
forces upon the Afghans on March 80 occurred on
the banks of the Kushk River, short distance
above its emboguing into the Murghab Until lately
Sariyazi, on the Murghab, twenty miles below the
junction, was the Russian advance post, and Peni
5oI, oF