Rensselaer Republican, Volume 17, Number 32, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 16 April 1885 — WAR WILL FOLLOW. [ARTICLE]

WAR WILL FOLLOW.

Gen.; Komaroff’s Action in Afghanistan Sanctioned by m the Czar. Story of the Recant Battle as Told bf the Russian Commander. England’s Allies Said to Have Provoked the Attack by Their Belligerent Attitude. It Looks Like War. rCable dispatch from London.] The fact that Gen. KomzrotT has been appointed Coinmander-in-Chiel over Turkestan, and that Russia is rending loices rapidly to Afghanistan, is universally regarded as meaning immediate war. There must be' added to this another (set of two Russian men-ot-war in tho Snez Canal being ordered to Vladivostock, with directions to avoid British ports. A dispatch from Berlin states that Russia refuses to yield an inch of the territory she has occupied on the Afghan frontier. Gen. KomaroS's attack on the Afghans is regarded in every capital of Europe as an act of war. In no well-intormed quarter here or abroad is there any bat the fainest hope of peace. , Gen. Komaroff** Report. The Official Messenger, of St Petersburg, publishes the following telegram from Gen. Komaroff, dated April I: “On the . sth of March ottr deta hment approached Dashkapri When near the bridge we saw an Intrenchment occupied by Afghans. In order to avoid a < ontiict I stationed my ti oops five ver.ts (a little over three miles) from the Afghan position. Negotiations with Capt. Yate (a member of Sir Peter Lnmeden's force) commenced on the 2Gth. When the Afghans became convinced that we had no intention of attacking them they dally drew neaier to onr camp. On the 27th they dispatched against a company of onrs covering a reconnoltering party three companies with a gnn and some cavalry. Next day, their audacity and arrogance increasing, they occupied a high and commanding position on the left flank of onr camp, madelntrenchments, and placed a cavalry post in the rear of our line and a picket within gunshot of onr fort. On the 29th 1 sent the Afgiian commander an energetic summons to evacuate the lett bank of jhe Kushk:, and the right bank of the Mnrghab as far as the month of the Knshk. He replied that, acting on the advice of the English, he would not retire beyond the Kushk. I then sent him a private letter couched in amiable terms. On the iiinh, in order to support my demand:. I marched with mv detachment against the Afghan position, still expecting a pacil-lc issue, but fire from ,tho Afghan artillery and an attaok of their cavalry compelled me to accept a combat.” iThe St. Petersburg Journal says that the foregoing statement leaves no question of Russian aggression; that, moreover. Sir Peter Lumsden's second dispatch to the British Government justified Gen. Komaroff’s action, and that even Mr. Gladstone has shown a praiseworthy anxiety to atone for the ungracious words about Russia which first escaped him. Another V'ersion of the Conflict. [St. Petersburg dispatch.] A rumor is current that the conflict between the Russians and Afghans arose in the following way: Some oi the Engli- h officers stationed at the Afghan outposts invited some Russian officers on the other side to breakfast. The Russians were unable to accept the invitation, but they sent an invitation to the English officers. The latter accepted and staid in the Russian camp until late at night and then asked lor an escort. Gen. Komarotf disgi ised some of his officers as privates to accompany the escort with the object of obtaining news of the Afghan forces. When the escort arrived at the Afghan camp one of the Russians was observe! taking notes in his pocket-book. The Afghans tried to take away the book, a struggle ensued, and a shot was fired, from which side is not known. The Russians hurried back to their camp, when their troops were called to arms, and were advanced aga nst the Afghans the next morn ng. “ Gen. Komaroff is already called the conaueror of the Afghans. Everyone is e ated at his success, and considers the affair a reverse ter England. ~ The Bear Eager for a Fight. (St. Petersburg dispatch.] The war feeling here is overwhelmingly strong. The Czar and Czarina and the members of the royal family attended a concert at the Grand Theater, in this city, for the Itenefit of invalid soldiers. The presence of the Qzar aroused the greatest enthusiasm. The national anthem was snng bv the whole audience, and when the Czar advanced to the fropt of his box and bowed his thanks be was greeted with a hurricane of cheers, 'i he ovation was continued outside the theater, and the royal party was followed by crowds of people to the gates of the palace. The Minister of War, speaking to a circle of officers, said he had the assure noe of the Czar that the Russian troops might advance, bnt that they would never retire. Rtssia continues her navaland military preparations with great energy. Admiral Shestakoff has ordered all torpedo boats to be sent to the Baltic and the Black Sea. Torpedoes have just been sunk at the canal binding St.-Petersburg with the sea. Cronstadt, St. Petersburg, and the palace at Krasnoe fc’elo are now connected by telephone, so that the Czar will be Informed of every movement in case of an attack by the English fleet. The Russian fleet has been in a thorough state qt r adincss since the 2dof April. There is great activity at Odessa. It is manifested not only by the garrison but also by other troops stationed there Numerous battalions of Cossacks are reviewed every day. The garrison at Kertsch is engaged night and day in hastening the completion of the works at that point, and the flooring mills are worked at their foil capacity in the preparation of provisions. ThS Czar has informed both the Vienna and! the Berlin Cabinets that be does not desire war. The English demand for the retirejnent of Gen. Komarofi’s forces from their present position will, however, not be acceded to, since it is evident that the advance of the Afghans was the provocation leading to the recent attack, This view of the matter, entertained by Russia, is also held by Austria and Germany. These {lowers support the Russian Government in this explanation of the recent battle. The Lion Not Backward. , [London dispatch.] There is no abatement in the excitement here. The war feeling runs high as ever, and > ny news on the war question is thirstily devoured by the public. It is known that England and Russia are both playing a waiting game, neither wishing to give the offense that will call for a decliartlon of war, bnt each at the same time straining every nerve to be prepared for an emergency. Two men-of-war belonging to the channel squadron now at Kingstown, Ireland, have been ordered to Portsmouth to take torpedoes on board. It is reported that they will then proceed immediately to the Baltic. The War Office is overwhelmed with offers of service sent in by army, militia, and volunteer officers. The recruiting depots in London and the provinces are daily besieged by men anxlons to enter the military sendee in view of the prospect of war with Russia. Snitable applicants are being accepted as rapidly as can be arranged. All the Admirals of the British navv have been notified to hold themselves In readiness for active service.* A special injunction has be n sent by the Admiralty to Vice Admiral Lord Hayes, commanding the British squadron in the Mediterranean, to hold himself and his fleet ready for service. i- ■ ; ' The Russians' Boast. An Odessa (Russia) dispatch says that “war between Rjissi* and England is believed to be unavoidable sooner or later. The Russians boast that the railway is being rapidly pushed to barakhs; that there are already 20,000 Russian troops on the Afghan frontier, and that there are 20,000 more at Samarcand which could be marched to Herat in two or three weeks. The only possible reliance on peace is In Mr. Gladstone s paciflo policy. Not a Hitch. . A dispatch from Rawd-Plnde, India, says: “There was not a strgle hitch in the whole course of the negotiations between the Ameer and the Viceroy of India. The Ameer has great belief In the natural defensive s rength of Afghanistan to repel Russia. He believes that the Komaroff incident will set the whole country against the Ross ana The peaceful aspect of affairs at Cabal is convincing proof as the stability of the Amur’s rule.” Postmaster General Vilas is negotiating for a lease of 8. S. Cox’s house in Dupont circle, Washington. The Bev. U. DeWitt Talmage sod Mg family are to spend the summer in Europe.