LONDON.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 4286, 23 April 1885, Page 3

LONDON.

April 22

Statements were made last night in the Houses of Lords and Commons by Lord Granviile and Mr Gladstone, respectively, to the effect that the Government were in receipt of a reply from Sir _ Peter Lurasden to the cornmuniuation which had been addressed to him asking for a full account of the recent hostilities near Penjdeh, but that his account differed very seriously from that supplied to the Russian Government by General Komaroff. In the House of Commons last night Mr Gladstone asked for a vote of credit for £11,000,000, of which £4,.300,000 was intended for the operations in the Soudan. In proposing the vote the Premier announced that the general situation of foreign affairs rendered it incumbent on Great Britain to prepare all her forces. The Government were not prepared to abandon the operations at present being conducted in Egypt, but reserved full liberty of action for the future. The Indian troops now in Egypt, Mr Gladstone added, would prove sufficient to hold "Suakiin, the British forces being reserved for any emergency that might arise. (Received April 23, 1.130 a.m.) The mails by the P. and O. steamship Shannon, from Melbourne, March 12th, were delivered to-day cm Brindisi. The Redistribution of Seats Bill has boon passed through committee in the House of Commons.

From further particulars which transpired regarding Sir Peter Lumsden's reply to the British Government it appers that he places considerable emphasis on the patient bearing of the Afghan troops, and says that the conflict was entirely duo to the aggressive action of the Russian commander.

(Received April 22, 10.30 p.m.)