THE RUSSIAN DIFFICULTY.

Tuapeka Times, Volume XVIII, Issue 1162, 15 July 1885, Page 4

THE RUSSIAN DIFFICULTY.

The " Official Messenger " of the 12th April publishes a telegram from Goneral Komaroff to the Minister of War, dated Dash-Kepri, April Ist, explaining the circumstances which led to the engagement on the Kush'k River. General Komaroff says :— On the 25th ult. our detachment approached Dash-Kepri on our side of the Kushk River. When near the bridge I saw the entrenchment occupied by the Afghans. In '-order to avoid a conflict I stationed my troops at a distance of five verßts ,from the Afghan position. On the -26th ult. negotiations commenced wjth, Captain Yate. When the Afghans were convinced that wo had no.Jnten'tipn of attacking them, they daily drew nearer our camp. On the 27th they dispatched against our company entrusted with covering a reconnoitring party three companies with one gun and some cavalry. Their audacity and arrogance went on increasing little by little until the following day, when they occupied the height which commanded the left flank of our camp. They commenced to throw up entrenchments, established a cavalry post to the 'rear of our line, and placed a -picket at gun-shot distance from our ford. On the. 29 th I sent to the commander of the Afghan detachment an energetic summons , giving him till the evening to evacuate the leftf t bank of the Kushk and the right bank of the Murghab as far as the mouth of the Kushk. I received a reply from him that, acting upon the advice of the English, he refused to retire behind the Kushk. I then sent him a private letter, couched in amicable terms. Ou the 30th ult., in order to support my demand, I marched with my detachment against the Afghan position, still counting on a pacific issue of the difficulty,' but the fire of the artillery aud the attack of the' cavalry compelled me to accept the combat, the results of Which are already known.

On April 12th the Ameer loft Rawal Pindi, He went away in the happiest possible frame of mind, says the "Daily News " correspondent, and well he might. From first to last daring the whole course of the negotiations not a single hitch of any kind has occurred. Nay, more ; it may be fairly said that in the course of those negotiations not a word has been uttered to which objection could be raised. The Ameer has been decorated by the Viceroy with the Grand Cross of the Star of India, and no one who has received that distinction could possibly be more proud of it than Abdul Rahman. It is hardly necessary to state that nothing has yet been made public respecting the result of the lengthened conference between the Ameer and the Viceroy. We shall doubtless know, all about it in time, but for tho present the strictest secrecy is still maintained on all sides. The prevalent belief, however, is that a treaty has been or will be signed. The Ameer, it should be stated, has a great belief in the natural defensive strength of Afghanistan. He is fully prepared if necessary to use the whole of the resources of the country in the defence of his territory against the Russians ; and, while keenly alivo to the momentous issues involved, does not shrink from the struggle or from undertaking it on his own sole responsibility. At the same time he is quite willing that British troops should advance in the event of war breaking out on a large scale. It is only necessary to look at the peaceful aspoct which Cabul presonts at this moment to see a convincing proof of the stability of his rule. The Ameer is strongly of opinion that General Komaroff's action at Penjdeh will set the whole country against the Russians.