| Show WILL THEY FIGHT England and Russia Still Parleying Over the Battle of FcnOJeli Komaroff and His Troops Congratulated Congrat-ulated by the Czar The English Parliament May Decide the Question Tonight > Komaroffs Occupation of Fend jell LONDON April 12The effect of General Gen-eral detailed statement which showed that the Afghans provoked the recent battle has been awakened by reports re-ports received by way of Austrian telegraph tele-graph stations on the Russian frontier that Pendjeh was occupied by Col Alik hansoff on the 2d inst General Koma roff states that he was obliged to occupy Pendjeh in order to stop the pillaging of the district by the Turcomans and Afghans who had threatened to resume offensive operations The Russian Minister Min-ister of War has sent a CONGRATULATORY MESSAGE TO GENERAL KOMAROFP And has directed him to thank the troops in the name of the Czar and announce to all who took part in the battle that they will be rewarded according to their rank CAIRO April 12The Russian consul here has ordered the Russian transports Nestrema and St Petersburg to proceed to Vladisvostock avoiding all British ports ST PETERSBURG April 12The official Messscngcr publishes the following TELEGRAM FROM GENEHAL KAMAROPP Dated April 1st On the 25th of March our detachment approached Dash Kapri When near the bridge we saw an entrenchment en-trenchment occupied by Afghans In order tQavoid a conflict I stationed my troops five vcrsts a little over three miles from the Afghan frontier Negotiations Negoti-ations with Captain Yates a member of Sir Peter Lumsdens force commenced on the 2Gth When the Afghans became convinced that we had no intention of attacking at-tacking them they daily drew nearer to our camp On the 27th they dispatched against a company com-pany of ours a reconnoitering party of three companies with a gun and some cavalry Next day their audacity and arrogance increasing they occupied a high and commanding position on theleft flank of our camp made entrenchments and placed a cavalry post in the rear of our line and a picket within gunshot of our fort On the 29th I sent the Afghan Af-ghan commander an energetic summons to evacuate the left bank of Kushk river and the right bank of the Murghab as Kushk He relied far as the mouth of the plied that ACTING ON TIlE ADVICE OF THE ENGLISH He would not retire beyond the Kushk I then sent him a private letter couched 1 On the 30th in rr < 1m into amicable terms in-to support my demand 1 marched with I my detachment against the Afghan position posi-tion still expecting a pacific issue but FIRE FROM TIlE AFGHAN ARTILLERY And an attack of their cavalry compelled me to accept a combat ST PETERSBURG tThe Journal says The foregoing statement leaves no question of Russian aggression That moreover Sir Peter Lumsdens second dispatch to the British Government justified justi-fied General Komaioffs action and that even Gladstone has shown a praiseworthy anxiety to atone for the ungracious words about Russia which first escaped him BOMBAY April 12Troops are move ing towards Guettah as speedily as transport trans-port facilities will allow The Third and Fourth army corps have been ordered to be placed on a war footing ACTIVE RUSSIAN PREPARATIONS ST PETERSBURG April 13The imperial im-perial arsenals at Cronstadt and elsewhere utmost where worked to their are being artil capacity preparing field and siege and ammunition for immediate lery small arms mediate service A STORY OF RUSSIAN DUPLICITY ST PETERSBURG April 13The rumor the conflict between that the is current following in the and Afghans arose Russians Some of the English offi lowing way invited invited outposts stationed at the Afghan cers vited some Russian officers on the other Russians were un breakfast The side to the invitation but they accept able to invitation to the English officers sent an and stayed in the accepted The latter until late at night and Russian camp General for escort then asked an of his officers Komaroff disguised some the escort with to privates accompany news of the of obtaining the object arrived forces When the escort Afghan Russians the of the camp one the Afghan at observed taking notes in his pocket was the book The Afghans tried to take away shot was ensued and a A stru gle book struggle The known fired from which side is not Russians hurried back to their camp the and troops were called to arms Russian advanced against the the Russians were Afghans next morning ST PETERSBURG April 13It is reported re-ported that LieutenantGenerhl Obrout 1 L federal Stan W tHe im cheff chief of the fe imperial perial army is about to proceed to Merv command of all military operations opera-tions to assume in Turkestan and Afghanistan GenerS ObroutchefF is known as the i General of Moukhtar Pasha whom he I defeated conqueror at Aladaja Dagh after a pitched 1877 battle lasting two days m October KOMAKOFF CRITICISED BY THE TIMES Tnvnov April 13The Times editori GSeraiKomaroff makes no ally says He admits for his fresh advance excuse the Afghans until near the he did not see The admission from such a source ledge the Afghans had not advanced is val i that Gen Komaroff deliberately went uable in search of the Afghan entrenchment sat down within easy speaking distance advanced guard to seize an threw out an convenient position and undisputed demanding that the sent aSs ultimatum evacuate their position He I Afghans hen marched forward and made an at tacK LONDON STOCKS THIS MORNING 13Thestock market is LONDON April quiet this morning The Rus unusually explanation of the late battle does sian to increase the feeling that there not seem On the contrary the be no war will the streets seems to opinion upOn general that bfthat the action of Russia since be the chances has largely decreased battle setUement of the difficulty I thmepeacefulSettlement of the which closed Saturday night Consols this morning at 95 and at 953 opened still lower at 943 for are at this hour both accounts This is the lowest point touched in many years Russian securities secu-rities are quoted at 823 130 p m Consols have fallen to 94 for both accounts At 3 p m consols 94 TilE CABINET AGAIN IN SESSION LONDON April 13The Cabinet meeting meet-ing a summons for which was issued yesterday is now in progress Nothing is known positively in regard to the character of the deliberations but the war question is believed to be absorbing the attention of the ministers and the result of the council is awaited with eagerness LONDON April Instructions have been telegraphed to Sir Peter Lumsden to transmit to London as quickly as possible his report and that of Captain Yates of the conflict on the Kushk river At various military and naval stations preparations for the war continue to be vigorously made Admiral Sir George Sartories is dead STILL BUYING ATLANTIC STEAMERS NEW YORK April l13Employes of the National line of steamships state that the English government has bought the America steamship outright paying 250000 for her REFUSES TO YIELD AN INCH LONDON April 13The Daily Telegraph Tele-graph publishes a Berlin dispatch stating that Russia refuses to yield an inch of the territory she has occupied on the Afghan frontier and that the Czar intends in-tends to express his approval of General Komeraffs action by appointing him commanderinchief in Turkestan GLADSTONES STATEMENT THIS AFTERNOON LONDON April 13Gladstone in the House of Commons this afternoon stated tfiat the government upon the receipt from Russia of General Komaroffs explanation ex-planation of the Penjdeh incident telegraphed Sir Peter Lumsden for information as to the correctness of the Russian commanders justification justifica-tion of his conduct in attacking the Afghans Gladstone also announced that the government had received a full report of the communications which had passed between Earl Dufferin British Viceroy India and Abdurrahman Khan Ameer of Afghanistan in the councils recently held between them at Rawul Pindi These communications the Premier added were entirely satisfactory to the government explaining the delay of the government in reaching a final decision with Russia Gladstone said the report of the Russian officers who took part in the Pendjeh battle and those of the English officers who witnessed the engagement differed materially |
