The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1914-10-26
GOTH ANYWHERE AFy OF IsENf0RTAL CHARGE OF
 THE LIGHT BRIGADE


 This Sunday marks the sizztisth an- niversary or Baaklavas in the Crimea -t1aat memorable battle in which somebody blundereds and into ttle valley of death rode the SIX nundred.,, In that war Great Britain, rance and Turkey were allies. and fought against Russia. On the 25th Of October 1854, an army of 12so00 Russians, com handed hy Gen. IdprandL attacked cfnitys of EsaIak lava, small town in the Crlnaeas ton miles from Sebasto- poi The Tedoub9s were held by only z60 Turks who fought gallantIy against the overpowering force be- fore retreafing
 The Russians next assaulted the Esn glish. but were soon compelled to retire mainly by the charge of the heavy cavalry led by Brigadtef Scar lett. After this from an unfortu- nate misconceptions Of orders issued by Lord Raglan, Lord I.ucan com cavaIry. to charge the Russians, who 5 had formed in their own ground with artillery in front.
 It was terrible bIund CT but theirs not to reason why. and the 2 TO British horsenen rode gaIIantly into the valley Of death. They were slain by scores. by hundreds but the 19s who survived the mur derous fire of the Russian guns reached the battery, sabred the gunners, and cap tured the guns. or the e7o men en- gagged more than two hirds were kiII- ca or seriously wound led. The action was tnnorta1 1ized by Tennyson in his poem. The Charge of the Light BFd- gade.'' The British infantry in this battle first gained the name of the thin red 5ine." designation which has ever since been pop41laE, although in the present war the line is no longer red- The Crimean war. in which the charge of the light brigade at Baa- klava was the most thrilling incid dent. had, so like 50 many conflicts, a. tTdvdsaI eauses The Russian and French inn periaI government each took sides in the controversy between the Greek session of the Holy Places in PaIes . line The Porte sought to keep the peace aF1ons the warning CIr1 stfans by advising that the matter be sub- 1nitted to a mixed commission for ar Tsitratfon. This was accordingly done. of the Greek church. To this deeis- ion stle French Ernperor arceded. all Though dIssat1sffed
 The Russians then made further claims. demanding that t1e T'tlrixish Sultan should grant to the Car a pro-
 
 Turkey This demand was made in the form of an uItiTnatu1a, which the Su1- ian rejected, and on Oct 23, 1853,' the war between Turkey and Russia sepmnnenced when a Tufklsh fortress fired on a Russian hofiIla France Eng 4and, Austria and Prussia had sought by means of conference at Vienna to bring about a settlement, but failed to placate either party to the contro- xersy
 Napoleon found the occasion fe- Ieffous for drawing his sword, France W as the tradition protector Of the Ot- far1an eup pfre, and Gr4At Britain was also yitaI1y interested in maintaining the sick man of Europe. Napoleon, alt hough regarded as an upstart mon arch by the English. found a ready gar for his prop osa1s Of alliance ana won over Queen Victoria and her ad- asisers to his cause. In March. 1854, afance to aid Turkey in the war with ussia and declared war against the Ezar.
 h this alignment q the powers Great Britain and France were op- rosed to their present ally, Russia. Prussia, although taking no active part in the war. synpathized with 11sved toat the Hohenzoflerns would 5nin forces with the RonanoFs. Aus trfas remembering that her political Existence had been preserved by Rus sia only five years before. was not so ssflgratefuI as to side against Russia, ernperpr from ta king advantage Of ev-s cry opportnnfty to harass the szars Austria demanded that Russia sh oa1ld abandon the Danubfan prfncfpa1fties, and her attitude became so thresfen-