AMERICAN SUMMARY.

Timaru Herald, Volume XLI, Issue 3310, 7 May 1885, Page 2

AMERICAN SUMMARY.

San Feakcisco, April 12. The Secretary of State, Bayard, has declined to interfere m the matter of Burton and Cunningham, the dynamiters now awaiting trial m London for connection with the recent explosions there. The request to interfere came from the Irish National League. The New York Financial Chronicle says the present views on the urice of wheat are

extrnvafnr.t, p.? without counting Californian surplusiiml the good ci-ofs which now appear ni >s.Wl, tho ..mount m sight m United States an.i nllont for Europe is 2,000,UUU move than last year. . _ T . A few l,. ya rsubjecU of the Queen m Victoria, "British Columbia, sent Her Ma]eßtyra March -i Frnsov Kivcr silmon, weighing 9oLbs. H.M.S.S. Swiftsiire, Heron and two other war vessels huve been ordered to Victoria, British folumbio, to inereuse the naval dofence of the province m view of the possibility of \tiiv between Russia and England. The TTrng'iayan Government is arresting priests for preaching against the attitude of the authorities m regard to civil marriages. A rupture with the Vatican is imminent. A delegation of Chinese has arrived m Mexico to treat with the Government for the introduction of their countrymen into that Republic, and making them full fledged Mexican citizens. Mr Phelps, of Vermont, has been appointed Minister to the Court of St. James ; Mr McLane, of Maryland, Minister to France ; MriPendleton, of Ohio, Minister to Germany j and Mr Jackson, of Georgia, Minister to Mexico. The Land and Cattle Company's property, embracing 60,000 head of cattle and 30,000 acres of land, near Fort Worth, Texas, was sold to an English syndicate, incorporated m London, on April ■ 9th, for 3,750,000 dollars. A naturalised American named Botert Ireland has been kidnapped m New York by English officials. He was a piper m the English army m 1876, and a deserter from Ayr. Ireland was taken to Canada, and will he sent to England for trial. The caso was laid before the Secretary of State at Washington.

RUSSIA AND AFGHANISTAN.

San Francisco, April 12. Ayoub Khan, ex- Ameer of Afghanistan, was arrested by the Persian authorities on the demand of the British Minister at Teheran. He was arranging to join the Russian troops at Askabad. The morning newspapers throughout Russia, ■with very few exceptions, commenting on the recent battle, are very bellicose m their utterances, and charge Earl Dufferin and Sir Peter Lumsden with provoking war by advising the Afghans to advance on Pul-i-Khisti^ which the English officials knew was a part of Bussian territory. The Afghans, they say, also fully understand that Pul-i-Khisti was Eussian territory, and would never have attempted to advance their pickets to that place unless strongly urged to do so by British officials. The war party fully endorses the assertions of these newspapers, and are very pugnacious over the affair. The Paris Gaulois publishes a telegram from Berlin, which says Prince Bismarck has assnred the bankers that, m spite of the incident of Penj-deh, he hopes to preserve peace. Lord Northbrook has decided to organise a great cruiser service of swift vessels. Part of the British squadron m Chinese waters has been ordered to rendezvous at Port Hamilton, an island m the Corean Archipelago, recently taken possession of by England. As Point Hamilton commands the entrance to the Sea of Japan, and largely commands the way to Eußsian ports on the Pacific, this order has been issued, it is believed, with a view to attacking "Vladivostock if war with Russia be declared. General Stewart, m anticipation of instructions to advance his entire Indian command, has ordered an advance by way of Quettah of the artillery corps now stationed at Peshawur. The utmost secrecy is maintained about the movements of the British troops m India. Press correspondents at Rawal Pindi are refused all information about the army. It has been ascertained that a number of detachments have already loft en route to Quettah. It is learned from St. Petersburg that the Ameer's plan of campaign m connection with the army m case of war with Russia is about as follows : — The Ameer's troops are divided into -four corps, one of which remains m Cabul, while the other three have taken up a position against the Russians. The three corp3 embrace 27,800 infantry, 8800 cavalry, and 116 guns. These three corps stand at present m Herat, Testanul, and m Sarispul. Together with the troops m Cabul, the Ameer haß an army of 67,000 men. Russia has mobilised six divisions, which have been sent to the Trans-Caspian. As an indication of the feeling m the Caucasus, it is asserted that the Mussulmans are convinced that Turkey stands on the side of Russia. Thi3 notice ia the first positive information received here from those regions. A St. Petersburg telegram of April 11th Bays : — The war feeling here is overwhelmingly strong. The Czar appeared at the theatre last evening. The audience, still enthusiastic over the news from Penj-deh, on the general assumption that Komaroff's conduct had the Imperial approval, rose when they saw the Czar, and shook the building •with an ovation of applause. The Czar and Czarina and members of the Royal Family attended this evening at a grand entertain-, aient m this city for the benefit of invalid soldiers. The presence of the Czar aroused the greatest enthusiasm. The National Anthem was sung by the whole audience, and when the Czar advanced to the front of the box and bowed his thanks, he was greeted ■with cheers. The ovation was continued outside the theatre, and the royal party was followed by crowds of people to the gates of the palace. The Minister of War, speaking to the officers to-night, said he had the assurance of the Czar that Russian troops might advance, but they -would never retire. The War Office has been overwhelmed with offers of service sent by army, militia and volunteer officers. The depdts m London and the provinces are daily besieged by men anxious to enter the service m view of the prospects of war with Russia. Suitable applicants are being accepted. The War Office is as ready for war now as if war was declared. A great British fleet can be placed m the Baltic m four days, and England cau stud the ocean with cruisers. Within 24 hours we are ready. Two men-of-war belonging to the Channel squadron now at Kingstown, Ireland, have been ordered to sea. All Admirals of the British Navy have been notified to hold themselves m readiness for active service. Special instructions have been sent by the Admiralty to Vice-Admiral Lord Hay, m command of the British squadron m the Mediterranean, to hold himself and his fleet ready for service. It is reported a fleet will proceed to the Baltic. The London newspapers daily publish columns of the opinions of the Continental Press on the Anglo-Russian embroglio. A collection of scores of these opinions show the following general facts .— The French papers unanimously ridicule England, and declare ahe has been outgeneralled m the field and eutwitted m diplomacy. If she really eoes to war, the Frenchmen predict she will meet with a crushing disaster. The German and Austrian papers generally discuss the situation m fair and dispassionate tones. Most of the Berlin papers believe that Bismarck will not be induced to attempt mediation, and the best informed of them express the opinion that the Chancellor will devote his energies to localising the war, and compelling the Powers outside of England and Russia to keep their hands off. The Tories are sounding a note of alarm as to the motive of the Indians m clamouring for war, and they warn the Government against placing undue reliance upon either the native princes or the troops. The St. James? Gazette expresses the opinion of many thoughtful observers m an editorial article m which it says : — " No Viceroy of India would, withqut dread, trust the fate of the Empire to the fidelity of the native chiefs, or would cease to watch them or would employ their troops when aware that disaffection might turn the tide of battle." The article concludes by saying •' The optimism which denies this is merely cowardice disguised." A later telegram says the war fever is as hot as ever and peace is considered impossible. Preparations _ for war aye continued with unabated vigor, and are no longer viewed as a display of force to avert war, but as preliminaries of an Inevitable and desperate struggle. Various plans for striking Russia at vulnerable points outside of the present field of hostilities are under consideration. The theory is that if England and Russia are to fight, Russia must not be allowed to choose the battlefield. She has thus far forced hostilities on the Afghan frontier, which indicates that she

is better prepared to fight there than elsewhere. A prompt attack by England m almost any other part of Russia would, it is thought, prevent Russia from sending reinforcements to Afghanistan, even if it did not compel the withdrawal of troops from there to defend a new point of uttack. One plan as to how to grapple Russia, which is eaid to be seriously contemplated, is to attack the Russian provinces of the Trans-Caucasia on the east coast of the Black Sea. The base of operations for such a campaign would be Batoum, which is the principal port on the Eas' Coast, and the objective point would be Tiflis, the capital of Trans-Caucasia. Tbe ; Russians are now drawing many of thoir reinforcements for Afghanistan from the Caucasian provinces, and it is argued that a serious attack on the other aide of the mountoins would compel them to keep thoir Caucasian troops nearer home. In the event of such an enterprise being undertaken by England, tho friendship of Turkey would be important. Trans-Caucasia adjoins Turkish Armenia, and if Turkey were hostile, England would find her troops wedged m between two enemies. The friendship of Turkey is also of vast importance to either of the combatants on account of her control of the Dardanelles. This control wa3 guaranteed her by the treaty of Berlin, and solemnly agreed to by both England and Russia. By this means Turkey could prevent England from getting into or Russia from getting out of the Black Sea. RAWXTi PiNDI, April 10. The news of the battle between the Russians and Afghans was received by the Ameer quietly. He has long been confident that Russia meant to advance to Herat. A hundred tons of supplies were going through the Bolan Pass daily, and orders were given to increase the supplies to 200 tons daily. Candahar, April 10. The Turcomans have distributed proclamations through the frontier towns of Afghanistan urging the inhabitants to form an alliance with Russia. ' London (undated). Russia continues her naval and military preparations , with great speed. Admiral Sheshakoff has ordered all torpedo boats to bo sent to the Baltic and Black Sea. Cronstadt, St. Petersburg and the palace at Kaisnveslo are now connected by telephone, so that the Czar will be informed of every movement m the case of an attack by an English fleet. The Russian fleet has been m a thorough state of readiness since the second of April. Komaroff's brother, the editor of the Russian journal Svet, announces that Russia intends to send 100,000 men to Herat as soon as the English advance to Peshin. Advices from Odessa state that there is great military activity m that city. This is manifested not only by the garrison, but also by other troops stationed there. "News has been received from Odessa, by way of Varna, that the transports on the Black Sea are bueily engaged m the work of carrying troops and munitions of war for Sebastapol, Nicdaloff, Batoum, and Batole. Extensive works are being constructed for the defence of Batoum and Nicdaloff. The new works of defence at i-ebastapol have been for the present suspended. Numerous batallions of Cossacks are reviewed every day at Odessa. A garrison at Kertch is engaged night and day hastening the completion of the works at that port, and the flour mills are worked at their full capacity m preparing provisions. Russia is fully alive to the importance of tho control of the Dardanelles, and threatens to propose at the next session of the Suez Canal Commission that the regulations proposed for the neutrality of the Suez Canal shall also be made to apply to the Dardanelles. Philadelphia, April 12. An order for six fast iron cruisers of the Esmeralda pattern was received m this city on Thursday. These vessels are- nominally ordered by private gentlemen, just as _ they might order steam yachts, but they will be for sale when completed, and the offer of only one European Government will be entertained, and it is thought that the features to be insisted on will be 19 knots speed, coal carrying capacity for 25 days' steaming, and buoyancy for three steel rifled cannon of large calibre. The Esmeralda is regarded by prospective owners of these vessels as the highest type of war vessel afloat. She was built for Chili, m England, by Sir William Armstrong, and launched m 1884. Her engines, boiler, and magazines are protected by steel, her deck is one inch thick, and she carries two 25-ton breech-loading guns, one as a bow-chaser and the other ■as a sternchaser, and has six 4-ton guns on the breadsides besides machine guns. Her engine power is very great m proportion to her displacement, which is 8000 tons. She carries a very large coal supply, and will steam from 17 h to 18 knots an hour. Latbe. Earl Dufferin obtained from the Ameer a formal treaty recognising the right of England to lay out and fortify the north-western frontier of Afghanistan.