RUSSIA AND AFGHANISTAN.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1320, 28 March 1885, Page 1

RUSSIA AND AFGHANISTAN.

Lonpon, March 24. In the House of Commons to-day Mr Gladstone stated, in reply to a question, that Earl Granville, Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, had addressed an important communication to Russia on the 16th March, and it was expected that the character of the answer would determine whether negotiations between the two Powers would take place in London, or whether the Afghan frontier delimitation woold.be settled by a local Commission of Enquiry as desired by the British Government.

March 25.

Great energy is being displayed in < fitting out eleven warships at tha Devon port Dockyards. Each vessel will carry six months’ supplies. A. number of Mahommedan notables , in India have asked the Duke of Con- s naught to urge the Sultan of Turkey to ally with England against Russia. The greatest activity is King shown at all the Admiralty dockyards in pre- , paratinn for possible, hostilities with - Rn s sia. It is intended by the Indian Government, to despatch 5W,0u0 troops to Peeshin, near Kandahar, in Afghani-., , stan. General Sir DonahlTil^^im^ 11 * head of the Military Department in India, will be placed in command.

March 26

Frequent interviews have taken place during the past few days between Earl Granville, the Foreign Minister, Musurus, Turkish Ambassador, and Hassan Fell ml Pasha, Turkish Special Envoy. The fact has given rise to rumors that an arrangement is being concluded for an An^lo-Turkish alliance in the event of an om break of hostilities between England and hussia. Calcutta, March 25.

A division cf the Indian army has been ordered to proceed forthwith to Peeshin, in Southern Afghanistan, and a reserve force of 40,000 men is also being mobilised. It is expected Major* General the Duke of Connaught, commanding at Meerut, will take command of the reserve division. The number of men in the reserve force which is about to ha mobilised will be 20,U00, not 40,000 as previously reported.

Bombay, March 25.

It is announced that those officers (,f the British and Indian armies 'who are absent on furlough at the present time will be recalled to India without delar.