THE New Zealand Herald. AND DAILY SOUTHERN CROSS. SATURDAY, MAY 23, 1885.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXII, Issue 7336, 23 May 1885, Page 4

THE New Zealand Herald. AND DAILY SOUTHERN CROSS. SATURDAY, MAY 23, 1885.

To-day's telegrams substantially confirm those published in yesterday's issue, and show that some serious hitch has occurred in the negotiations for the settlement of the Afghan frontier question. The statement made by the Marquis of Hartington in the House of Commons was remarkably reserved, but his very caution, as well as his language, conveys the impression that a crisis had arisen, which was not anticipated when the agreement which he described as perfectly satisfactory to both sides, was entered into. In saying that he did not consider it prudent to explain the reasons why the Guards had been detained at Alexandria to await further orders, he ,but observed that degree of reticence which is becoming to a Government when' important questions of State assume a grave aspect. Yet while availing himself of this privilege, he seemed to recognise the necessity of taking the House and the country so far into his confidence, and significantly added that the massing of the troops recently employed in the Soudan, with a view to their being available for service elsewhere, was being continued. This is to an admission that the Government were preparing for events which were not unlikely to happen. When it is remembered that the concentration of troops referred to includes not only the army conducted up the Nile by Lord Wolseley, but also a considerable portion of the army under the command of Sir Gerald Graham at Suakim, it may safely be inferred that the juncture, spokttn of by the Secretary of State for War, to which these movements have some relation is one of more than usual seriousness. The situation, as indicated by all the most recent telegrams, seems to be that Russia, having had so much conceded to her, is assuming the tone of a dictator, and has forced the British Government to put down their foot once more. The difficulty to be now encountered will be to get Russia to lower her pretensions. In its ' bearing on the Afghan question the announcement of Mr. Gladstone that negotiations . had been con- • ducted with the Sultan for the Turkish occupation of Suakim, and that no other Power had been invited to occupy that place, possesses considerable importance. It is not said whether the Porte has consented to the proposed arrangement, but the course taken will prevent that alienation of Turkey which the occupation of Suakim by Italy, reported to have been under contemplation, would certainly have caused. The conciliation of the Sultan, under present circumstances, means a good deal. It will.propitiate the Mahommedan population of Afghanistan, and induce the tribes more readily to cooperate with Britain in the event of her being obliged, however reluctantly, to go to war with Russia. The task which had been imposed on Britain, to undertake the suppression of the Soudanese insurrection led by the Mahdi, had considerably excited the followers of Islam

'in Central Asia, and any feeling of irritation thus caused is likely to be allayed by the respect shown to the '•generally recognised chief of their creed, while, by the same means,' the alliance of '• Turkey, should war arise, may with greater certainty be reckoned on. . " ' <