St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1885-07-19
AN UNCERTAIN QUIET.
Reports Received at the French Foreign
Office That Russia Will Try to
Seize Herat,
And That the Massing of Troops at zul-
fkar Pass is Solely for That
Purpose.
But In English Ministerial Circles An
Early Rupture is Not
Credited,
Although British Defenses in India
Are Being Pushed as Fast as
Possible.
Russia,s Movements.

LONDON, July 1S.-Dispatches received
from Paris report that the French foreign
Office has received information which shows
conclusively that the Russians are deter
mined 10 seize Herat, and that the massing
of Russian troops going on at Zulhkar Pass
is for that purpose.
A cabinet council was held this after
noon, after which the Marquis of Salisbury,
Lord Idllesigh, Sir Stafford Northcote and
Sir Michael Hicks-Beach, chancellor of the
eXchequer, held consultation at the for
eign Office with Baron De Staal, Rus
sian ambassador TO London. 1t is
understood the conference was on the At
CHAN question, and it is stated that the ne
gotiations between the English and Russian
governments for an amicable adjustment of
the entire dispute are proceeding in a
friendly and satisfactory manner. Mr..
Condie Stephens, the special courier who
was sent by Sir Peter Lumsden. the chief
of the British Afghan boundary commits
sion, from Penjdeh at the time of the diff
Guilty there to London TO give the Glad
stone ministry special information concern
ing the Penjdeh battle, was at the foreign
Office during the state conference. and in
fact all day, helping to elucidate the prob
lem raised by the increase of the
RUSSIAN FORCE
near Zulfikar pass. In ministerial circles
no fear is entertained of an immediate quar-
rel with Russia. Notwithstanding this,
however, measures for the defense of India
are being constantly pushed forward. Gen.
Sir Donald NJ. Stewart, commander-in-chief
in India will, it is said, be appointed TO one
of the vacant seats in the Indian council, in
which case Gen. Lord WolSeley will be
given the chief command in India. The
Earl of Dufferin, viceroy of India,
has issued an order prohibiting
officers Of the Indian army, who are
on furloughs, from going to Cashmere,
oStensibly because the return thence would
be difficult and slow in case of hurried re-
call. 1t is reported that Col. LOckhart.
who has gone to Gilger, the main entrance
to the Evalley of Cashmere from Central
Asia, with years supplies, avowedly for
the use of a surveying party, is really Ell
gagged in political movement of
importance. Russia is trying TO
raise a new loan from Paris. Ii is
stated that an officer on board the Andair-
Gus, writing from Nagasaki, says that the
British flag, despite the demand of the Eng
lish government, is flying over Port Hamil-
ton, in the Corean archipelago. BE further
states that the British are busily engaged in
preparing military defenses and laying tor
pedoes and mines at Port Hamilton, and
that some Russian troop-shipS loaded with
troops, and which recently arrived there,
were greatly surprised to find the place
completely occupied by the British and
were compelled TO retire.
HERAT AND ITS bEFENsEs.
Herat is a city of great interest both
geographically and politically, its import
ance at the present day being indicated by
its popular designation of the ''key of
India" The city of Herat is in "a deg.
% min. north latitude, and 62 deg. 9
min. east longitude. 1t is very
centrally situated, great lines of
communication radiating from it
in all directions-southward TO Sc
iStan (20O miles,, southeastward to Kan
dahar $50 miles,, eastward to CaItul $3.50
miles,, nOrthward by Mymeneh to Box
hara (66O miles, and by Merv to Khiva 600
miles), while to the westward four routes
lead into Persia by Turbat to MeShed (2I5
miles), and by Birgend to Herman 400
miles,, to Yezd $500 miles), or to Ispahan
1000 miles,. The city forms a quadrangle
of nearly mile square; on the western,
southern and eastern faces the line of de-
fense is almost straight, the only pro-
Jecting points being the gatewayS.
but ON the northern face the contour is
broken by double outwork consisting of
the citadel, which is built of sun-dried brick
on high artificial mound within the en-
ceinte and lower work at its foot, which
extends 100 yards beyond the line of the
city wall. That which distinguishes Herat
from all other Oriental cities, and at the
same time constitutes its main de-
fense, is the stupendous character
of the earthwOrk upon which the city wall
is built. This earthwOrk averages $50 feet
in width at the base and about 80 feet in
heighth, and is crowned by wall % feet
high and ii feet thick at the base. sup
ported by about $50 semi-circular towers,
and it is further protected by ditch is
feet in width and IL feet in depth, present.
ing an appearance of imposing strength.