Message From the Agent General

Auckland Star, Volume XXVI, Issue 78, 10 April 1885, Page 2

Message From the Agent General

War to be M eclared Against

Russia.

(BY TKI.KI'IKAI'U — OWN CORRESPONDENT.)

Wellington, this day.

This morning tho Government received advices from tho Agent-General Btating that Russia had advanced across the Afghan frontier, and hostilities had niready commenced The message also stated that England will declare war against Russia immediately. The Ministers at present in Wellington are Messrs Buckley and Tole, and they are exceedingly reticent on the subject Later.—The News Confirmed. Since my last telegram was despatched, information has been received through Reuter which establishes the rumour I gave you as a fact. I have since seen Ministers, and am informed that the Agent-General advises the Government, in the first place, that the position of AngloRussian affairs remains unaltered. Almost immediately following this message, the Government received information from the Agent-General of an engagement at the rivor Kusk between Russian troops and the Afghans on tho 28th of March last, in which the Afghans were defeated with a loss of 500. The Agent-General looks upon this advance of Russian troops after the ultimatum of England as tantamount to a declaration of war. After interviewing Ministers, I waited upon His Excellency the Governor at Government House for the purpose of ascertaining if His Excellency had received any further information, but was informed that nothing as yet had reached His Excellency.