Resignation of Sir Peter Lumsden.

King Christian as . Arbitrator. Conservative Tactics. [Reuter's Telegrams,] LONDON, Mat 7. It is announced that Sir Peter Lumsden has resigned, owing to his discontent with the action of England on the Afghan frontier question. King Christian of Denmark has been invited by Russia to arbitrate between England and that country in regard to the Pen j deb. incident, and he has signified his willingness to accept the office, provided the invitation emanates trom the British Government also. The Daily News to-day states that the Russian Government have assured England that they have no designs on Herat now or in the future. [Special to Press Association.] LONDON, May 7. Lord Randolph Churchill is urging the members of the House of Commons to refuse to grant supplies to the Government, as a protest against their action in regard to the Afghan difficulty. MELBOURNE, May 7. Government to-day received a telegram from the Agent-General, in which he states it is still doubtful whether pe;ic« will bo maintained between England and Russia.

Mr Travers writes to tho Wellington Post calling 1 attention to certain State papers printed in 1839, and says: — "The evidence with which those documents abound of a deep-rooted hatred of our prosperity cherished by Russia, and of a settled plan of progressive hostility, none the less dangerous from disguise, or the less effective from the cautious and wary steps with which it is generally prosecuted, is bo circumstantial and so palpable that any endeavours to set that evidence in a stronger or clearer light would weaken instead of confirm the effect." A letter from Rawal Pindi states that the 20,000 Russians who were advancing from the Caucasus are believed to be composed as follows: — "In the undebated Russian territory to the north of the Afghan frontier there were recently 15,000 infantry and cavalry, with 70 guns. It is doubtful whether the guns are adequately horsed. To reinforce them from 5000 to GOOO troops are on the way from tho Caucasus army. This would give approximately the 20,000 Russians mentioned. The Russian preparations are manifestly • behindhand. The inference is that they intend to protract negotiations to see what an aggressive front will enable diplomacy to gain." In the course of an interview on March 30, at Rawal Pindi, one of the Ameer's generals affirmed the truth of the reported murder of two English officers connected with the Boundary Commission. It isstated that the news was received from Cabul by letter, and that the deaths of the officer s occurred whilst they were surveying the ground beyond the Afghan outposts. They were accompanied by only a few sowars, when a number of Russo-Tureoimns swept down on the party and killed the English engineers. The enthusiasm of the Indian troops sent to the Soudan, and the eagerness for action either theie or in Afghanistan, have been highly praised by the Souakiin correspondent of tiie London Standard. " Since my arrival," he eaid> writing on March 10, "I have had opportunities, by conversing with the Mohammedans in both the infantry and cavalry regiments, of the Indian contingent, of learning their views regarding the Mahdi and his pretensions. All without hesitation express their scorn and contempt for the false prophet and the whole Arab fanatical movement, which they declare has nothing of a religious element in it. Further, they ad,d that every Mohammedan in India considers the Mahdi an impostor, and there is no sympathy with him or his cause among their co-religionists. These Mohammedan soldiers think that the campaign has been undertaken in defence of the true cause of Islam, and believe themselves most fortunate in being permitted to take part in it and to fight against such ' humbug ' ; one old Pathan veteran expressing his belief that if he shoiftfc'be killed in such a war Allah would grant extra Egyptian ' batta ' in Paradise by way of indulgence. I find that the spirit of these native regiments cannot be excelled. Indeed, there is the greatest possible enthusiasm among them at the possibility of a Russian war, the idea of which is immensely popular among them. They declare that every native regiment could double or treble its numbers for such a campaign."