RUSSIA AND AFGHANISTAN.

Timaru Herald, Volume XLI, Issue 3295, 20 April 1885, Page 2

RUSSIA AND AFGHANISTAN.

A PEACEFUL SETTLEMENT

EXPECTED.

PENJ-DEH OCCUPIED BY THE

RUSSIANS.

A Russian Sloop-of- War off

Australia.

MORE CRUISERS FOR THE

COLONIES.

(By Electric Telegraph— Copyright.)

(Reuter's Agenoy.)

(Received 12.30 p.m., April 18th.) London, April 17.

A belief that a peaceful settlement will be effected of the difficulty between England and Russia as regards the Afghan frontier question is hourly increasing. St. Petersburg, April 17.

In the latest despatch to the Russian Government General Komaroff reports that the Afghans have evacuated all their posts on the frontier, and that the Russian troops remain stationary.

(Received 4 p.m., April 19th.)

St. Petersburg. April 18.

'It has transpired that m a late despatch to his Government, General Komaroff announced that when Penjdeh and the posts m its neighborhood were evacuated by the Afghans and the latter fled to Herat, he deemed it expedient to place Penj-deh under temporary Russian administration. [Received 1.20 a.m., April 20th.] London, April 18.

The Standard states that the Ameer of Afghanistan is indisposed to press his claim to Penj-deh, and expresses the belief that everything demanded by Russia except Zulfika will remain Afghan territory.

April 19th. Rumors of a peaceful' settlement of the existing difficulty between England and Russia continue to be rife, but so far nothing of a definite nature has transpired m regard to the situation.

(Special to the Press Association.) (Received 9.45 a.m., April 18th.]

London, April 17. If the colonies pay the necessary coat the Admiralty are willing to supply men, and to maintain the men-of-war belonging to colonial navies.

The N.Z. Shipping Coy.'s steamer Kaikoura has been selected by the Admiralty for equipment a3 a cruiser.

(By Teleokaph.) Auckland, April 18.

The Coptic has been chartered by the In> porial Government as a fast cruiser for the New Zealand coast, and arrangements are now being made to avoid sending her on her Homeward voyage. She will tow the ship Northumberland to Napier to take the cargo of frozen meat which is now ready at that port, and the cargo which was to have followed m the Northumberland will be put aboard the ship Lyttelton and the steamship Arawa. The Coptic will go from here to Wellington with her original cargo, and will then be at once fitted up for her new service. She may, for this purpose, have to go to Australia.

Wellington, April 18. Sir Julius Yogel this afternoon received a cable message from the Agenl-General stating that the prospects of peace are lees gloomy. The Newcastle Herald of Utb April has a paragraph as follows :— " The American schooner Quickstep arrived here yesterday morning from Melbourne. Captain Jacobten

reports that on the 6th, wlien 25 miles from Cape Howe, he passed a Russian sloop oi' war steering W.S.W., coming from the eastward, but had no communication with her. She had fore-and-aft canvas set and was steaming." The Government have cabled to the AgentGeneral to procure and at once forward 2000 stand of the latest military rifle (tho MartiniHenry) to the colony, together with all necessary appointments.