An interesting lecture was given on Wednesday night at the Union Church Hallby Golonel (. D. Braceon atrip to the Perso-Afghan border in the spring of the year 1902. An excellent map of this part of Central Asia had been prepared for the lectorer, and enabled the audience to follow with, account of was filled to overflowing, and the vote of thanks to Colonel Brace, which was proposed by the Rey. C. E. Darwent and seconded by the Rev, E. Box, for a lecture that proved all too short was heartily endorsed by all present.
Colonel Brace spoke somewhat as follows:—" One of the first points of interest passed on the Trans-Caspian Railway going eastward from the Caspian Sea is Geok-Tope near Asbkabad, the scene of the final massacre of the Tarcoman hordes by the Russian General Skobeleff in January 1881.
Some eighteen months prior to January 1881 the Rassian General Skobeleff had been dispatched to wi out the Torcoman power on the frontier, and with 7,000 men and sixty my ad started to invest the fortress of Geok-Topo.
Haring advanced with much Joss and difficalty, chiefly owing to cli conditions and the nature of the conatry, practically a sandy desert, Skobeleff had pitched his main camp at short distance from the Torcoman fort. Within this latter the flower of the Tekke tribes wit it wives and smilies, (altogether some 35,000 souls aided by 10,000 Tarcoman irregular horse) had taken refuge, After less than " month's sapping, by use of trenches dag under cover of darkness. Skobeleff's forces had managed to approach within 100 yards of the outer Turcoman defences. So near were the opposing force that the Rassians in the advanced trenches could even hear the Tekkes conversing on the the final s-aul: arrived.
lls, and very. shortly the day for On January 21, 1881, only thirty years ago, Skobelefl ordered the advance, the way having been prepared by the blowing in of the outer earthwork by " charge of goo cotton.
At 6 amthe attacking Rusaian force divided into three columns, under' Colonels Kuropatkin (the late Commander-in-Chief of the Russian forces in Manchuria), Kuzelkoff and Haidaroff advanced to the assault and by 1 p.m the Russian eagle waved from the summit of the captured ramparts,
in its relentless man At 4 in the afternoon, as story to relate, General Skobeletl Ted. his reserve forces composed of cavalry and
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.