THE BATTLE OF PENJDEH. Announcement in the House of Commons

Te Aroha News, Volume II, Issue 101, 9 May 1885, Page 6

THE BATTLE OF PENJDEH. Announcement in the House of Commons

Intense Excitement. London, April 9. — A despatch to the "Times" from Gulran, dated April 3rd, states that the Russians, while making a pretext of changing the positions of their outposts on the Afghan frontier, attacked Pen jdeh March 30th, and drove the Afghans out of their position. The Afghans stubbornly resisted their assailants. The weather was wet at the time of the attack, which rendered the muzzle-loading guns of the Afghans useless. Two companies held one position against the Russians until its defenders were all killed. The Afghans retreated to Marauchak in perfect order. The Russians made no pursuit. The Sarahks remain neutral, but plundered the Afghans' camp. The Russian losses are said to be great. The British officers remained until the Afghans effected their retreat, when they joined the camp of Sir Peter Lumsden.

A Russian Account of the Fight. A St, Petersburg special says : - The " Official Messenger" publishes the following this morning : General Kameroff reports that In consoquouco of hostile luauifetsla-

tiona by the Afghano he was Compelled to attack thorn. The Afghans were posted on both banks of the river Kushk in fortified positions. The fight occurred on the 30th of last month. The /. fghan forces consisted of 4,000 men with eight guns. They were defeated with the loaa ot 500 men^ all their artillery, two standards, and their entire camp outfit. All the provisions of the 1 Afghans wore captured. The Russian loss was 3 subalterns and 10 soldiers killed, and 29 wounded. When the fighting was ended General Kameroff returned across the river to the positions he had formerly occupied. General Kameroff also reports that some j of tho British officers were eye- witnesses, but did not participate in tho engagement They appealed to the Russians for protection when they paw that the Afghans were beaten, but unfortunately, he says, the convoy which he immediately despatched to the relief of these officers was unable to overthrow the Afghan cavalry, who carried the British away with them in their flight.

Tho News in Parliament. Parliament reassembled today after the Easter recess. In the House of Commons Mr Gladstone confirmed the intelligence of the battle between tho .Russians and Afghans. Gladstone, in the House of Commons this evening, in answer to interrogatories said that on Saturday the Cabinet considered Russia's reply to England's proposal to limit the zone of survey to debatable points. Russia's reply was an agreemont to do this, provided the zone of survey as marked out dy England extended southward so as to include tho Paropamiason range of mountains. The Government considered thp reply did not advance tho quostion towarfi a conclusion, and was dissatisfied with it. Within the past twenty-four hours, however, said the Premier, a subsequent communication had been received from Russia, and bhia appeared, in the opinion of the Government, to place tho matter in a more hopeful position. Being asked what the nature of this subsequent communication was, Gladstone said it would be impossible, at present, for the Government to make any further statement concerning tho pending negotiations about the Afghan frontier in view of the grave occurrences just reported. Continuing, Gladstono said that it was evident that the Russians had attacked the Afghans. The Afghans had, in this attack, been defeated after making a gallant resistance, It was apparent also that the Russians, after the fight, returned to their former position, or, at least, to the left bank of the Kushk River, u'hich might be equivalent to such retirement. The Government had been informed, the Promier wont on, that the Russians had made every endeavour to induce tho Afghans to bogin the fighting— tho Russian troops had even twice attempted to forcibly pass through tho Afghan pickot linos.

What a Russian Officer bald. After one of these attempts failed to provoke an Afghan attack, Captain Yates met a Russian chief of staff, and talked to him about tho conduct of the Russian soldiers being a violation of tho Russian agreement to not advance pending the outcome of negotiations. Tho Russian officer stated that he had no knowledge that any agreement existed against a Kussian advance. Uaptain Yates referred to the oflicial despatch sent from St. Petersburg, March I7th, to London, assuring England that orders would be at once sent to tho Russian officers at tho front directing them to forbid any advanco and do all in their power to prevent provocation of the Afghans. The Russian officer declared that he knew nothing whatever of any such arrangement Gladstone, commenting on this, said England had kept her part of this agreement. Ur> to March 30th, at least, the Afghans made no advance nor any forward movement of any kind so far as the information possessed by the Ministers wont. The Government, Gladstone stated, must regard the attack by the Russians upon Penjdeh as unprovoked. The Government bad asked an explanation of this attack from Russia, but of course sullicien.t time had not yet elapsed for tho roceipt of an answer. Sir Edward Thornton, British Ambassador to St. Petorsberg, had, however, telegraphed that Do (Jiers, Russian Prime Minister, expressed for himself and for the C/ar the earnest hope that this unhappy incident might not prevent the continuation of the negotiations for peace. This remark was greeted with shouta and derisive laughter.

Later From Sir Peter Lumsclon. Later in tho evening Gladstone, replying to a question asked by Sir Richard Cross, said the Government had recoived another telegram from Sir Fetor Lumsden, which tended to qualify the statement made by him (Gladstone) in reply to Sir StaffoH Northcote. which was based on Sir Peter Lumsden's statement that the Afghane had made no advance either before or after March i?th. "Sir Poter Lumsden now says," continued Gladstone, "that when the Kufcsians threatened an attack on the Afghan position by an advance in force on Ak Tcp, the Afghans threw out a vidette and extended thoir pickets to Pul i-Khisti, on the left bank of the Kushk River, and gradually strengthened this position, until, on March 30fch, the bulk of their force had been transferred across the river Sir Peter Lumsden is of opinion the movement does not constitute an actual advance on the part of the Afghans, but merely the occupation of a more advantageous military position."

Strong Anti-Russian Foeliug. The anti Russian feeling in both parties in the House of Commons amounts to a passion. If Russia's explanation of the attack on the Afghans be delayed or be incomplete, the British Government will be forced to declaro war or resign. The decline in consols since the opening of the Afghan frontier dispute ha 3 been 5 per cent , which equals the fall in consols at the opening of the Crimean War. Tho (lovornmont beliovoa that General Sir Pelor Lumsdon, che British Afghan Boundary Commissioner, is at present at Herat, which he will tortify and hold, if neceßßUiy, against the Russians, The ordinary" defences of Herat aro reported to bo in good condition. Gladstone in tho Commons, appeared anxious and careworn. Lord Randolph Churchill, on entering the House, was warmly greeted by both Conservative and Liberal members. The general opinion expressed in the lobby was that nothing can prevent war. When Gladstone declared thafc the Russian attack on Penjdeh appeared to be an unprovoked aggression the House warmly approved his phrase.

The Ameers Troops. Vienna, April 9 — It is learned from St. Potersburg that tlio Araeor of Afghanistan's plan of the campain in connection with the English army, in case of war with Russia, is about as follows : The Ameers troops are divided into four corps d'annee, ono of which remains in Cabul, while the other three have taken up positions against the Russians. The three corps embrace 27,800 infantry, 8,800 cavalry, and 116 guns. These three corj)s ile'armee stand at present in Herat, in Touchtapul and in Saripul. Together, with the troops in Oabui, the Ameer has an army of 67,000 men, Russia has 'mobilized 60 divisions, which have been sent to the trans-Caspian. As indications of the feeling in Uio CuucaauHj it h asserted

that the) Mussulmans* ore convinced that Turkey stands on the side of Bussia. This notice is the first positive information received here from these regions.

Laying the Blame on the Afghans. The " Journal of St. Petersburg " states that General KomarofFs return within his lines after driving off the Afghans indicates that the Russian attack was caused by the hostile aotion of the Afghans, Thus the affair assumes a less serious aspect and seems merely an accidental conflict difficult to avoid, consdering the extremely strained condition of affairs and the proximity of the ~ Russian and Afghan outposts. The " Journal " expresses the hope that the conflict will not interfere with the negotia- • tions now in progress between England and Russia. The morning newspapers throughout Russia, with very few exceptions, commenting on the recent battle, are very bellicose in their utterances, and charge Earl Dufferin and Sir Peter Lumaden with provoking war by advising the Afghans to advance on Puli-Khisti, which the British officials knew was a part of Russian territory. The Afghans, they say, also fully understand that Pul-i-Khisti was Russian territory and would never have attempted to advance their pickets to that point unless strongly urged to do so by British officials. The war party fully endorses the assertions of these newspapers and are very pugnacious over the affair. I The Paris "Gaulois" publishes a tele gram from Berlin, which says that Prince Bismarck has assured the bankers that, in spite of the incident of Penjdeh, tho Czar hopes to preserve peace.

Preparing for the Confliot, Earl Northbrook, Fir^t Lord of the British Admiralty, has decided to organise a great cruiser service of swift vessels. A part, of the British squadron in Chinese waters has been ordered to rendezvous at Point Hamilton Island, the island in the Corean archipelago recontly taken possession of by England. As Point Hamilton commands the entrance to the sea of Japan and largely commands the way to the RusI sian ports on the Pacific, this order has been issued, it is believed, with a view to attack Vladivostock if war with Russia be declared. British transports aro being rapidly prepared for the conveyance of troops. Several have already received orders. The work of fitting out ships of war is being carried on with all speed, and two vessels of the channel squadron, the Sultan and Neptune, have been ordered to Portsmouth to have their torpedo fitting examined. Reports are current that large orders nave been given for field guns, torpedoes and torpedo-boats. General Stewart, in anticipation of instructions to advance his entire Indian command, has ordered an advance by way of Quettah of the artillery corps now stationed in the Kobat, Peshawer, and Hasar districts. The utmost secrecy is maintained about the movements of British troops in India. The press correspondents at RawilPinde aro refused ail information about army orders. It lias, however, been ascertained that a number of detachments have already left on the route to Quet'ah.

Indian Chiefs Anxious to Advance. Earl Dufferin at Rawil-Pinde to-day was informed by telegraph of what had occurred at Penjdeh. Ho at once told Abdurrahman, Amoer of Afghanistan, and the native Indian chiefs who are in attendance at the council. The native chiefs unanimously recommended the immediate throwing of troops into Afghanistan. This recommendation has boen placed before the Home Government in London. Later in the day the surmises of the Government in regard to the movements of Sir Peter Lumsden were substantiated by the receipt of a tele§ram from him at Guiran. This telegram, ated April Ist, completed the broken despatch. It states officially that the Russians attacked the Afghans entrenched at Penjdeh and slaughtered 200 of the garrison. Seventy thousand British and Indians, now stationed along or near the northern Indian frontier, may, it is thought, reach Herat in time to prevent tho capture of that important point by the Rupsians. The Cabinet sat two hours. Earl Gran vill •, British Foreign Minister, after adjournment had separate interviews with Musurus Pasha, Turkish Ambassador to London, and Baron Do Staal, Ambassador from Ruaaia.