The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1880-11-13 00:00:00

them to pass through the district. As evidence of their
desire to afford protection to all persons in the exercise of
their legal rights, they have sent down a large force of mili-
tary to Ballinrobe. To-night they have also written to
ascertain from Captain Boycott again how many men he
will want."

Writing on Tuesday, the Dublin Correspondent of
The Times says :
The Boycott expedition is the most exciting topic of the
day. It has withdrawn attention from the prosecutions
and the agitation, and filled the minds of the publia with
mingted curiosity, irritation, and fear. The refusal of the
Government to permit 100 armed men to march 'through a
district so disturbed is generally admitted by fair and
reasonable persons to have been wise and necessary, in order
to avoid the risk of a serious breach of the peace ; but the
promoters of the project complain that a peaceful mission
has been stopped, and that the Government, who did
nothing themselves but make an empty offer to Captain
Boycott to protect labourers whom he cold not get, have
interposed to prevent the fulfilment of a plan for bringing
him relief in the only practical way. A statement has been
published to-day to the effect that the expedition has col-
lapsed, and the originators of it are held up to ridicule.
This, however, is quite unfounded, and the pleasant satire
must be reserved. Information having been received this
morning at Dublin Castle from Captain Boycott that he
will require fifty men, the authorities have consented to
allow that number to proceed to Lough Mask House, and
will afford them full protection. They will not be permitted
to make any display of arms. There is an ample force of
military and police in the district to prevent or repress any
possible disturbance. At Ballinrobe there is a garrison. of
700 troops, and the country swarms with police. At ten
o'clock last night the 10th Hussars, stationed in Island-
bridge Barracks, were retiring to rest, when they received
a sudden order to march to the west. The Government had
thought it right to take the precaution of reinforcing the
troops already distributed in the province, lest any. popular
outbreak should occur. Reports had been freely circulated
that the Orangemen were on the march, and something like
a panic was caused. These reports were wholly groundless, '
but it was known that a large number of men were ready '
to go from the North if they had been called upon to do so,
and it was feared that something like civil war would be
the result if any considerable body of strangers found their
way into the West, amid a hostile population. The Govern-
ment thought it desirable to guard against such a possible
contingency, hence the order to the Hussars. Last night,
on receipt of it, four troops, one detachment under the com-
mand of Captain and Brevet Lieutenant-Colonel Twenty-
man, and the other under the command of Captain Web-
ster, Major Coghill being in chief command of the forces
prepared immediately for. the road, and by two o'clock this
morning they reached the Broadstone Terminus, which
presented a scene .of animation and bustle very unusual
at that early hour. The traffic manager, his assistant,
and other officers of the Midland Great Western Railway
were engaged superintending the arrangements for the des-
patch of the troops. The duty of getting ready trains,
shunting engines, and securing the horses in their boxes
occupied the staff until three o'clock, when all was accom-
plished. A. detachment of the Army Service Corps, consist-
ing of ten wagons, including ambulance wagons, then drove
up to the station and prepared to start by one of the special
trains proceeding to Claremorris, which was the desti-
nation of the troops. It is expected that they will have
to go under canvas at Ballinrobe and other places to which
they will have to march from Claremorris. To-day 400
men of the 84th Regiment were despatched to the same dis-
trict from the Curragh Camp, rid Athlone. Tents were
at the same time despatched from the camp. Captain
Murray was at the terminua superintending the arrange-
ments for the departure of the troops. The trains carry-
ing the troops were despatched at 4 a.m., 5 a.m., and 6.30
a.m. Two of the trains consisted .of 26 wagons and one of
•29. The Hussars were despatched in two of the "specials,"
the third being occupied by the Army Service Corps and
their ambulances. At eight and half-past eight o'clock drafts
of the 84th Regiment were despatched from the Curragh
through Portarling,ton, joining the Midland Great Western
Railway at Athlone. They arrived at Claremorris at eleven
o'clock. No further troops, according to present arrange-
ments, are to be despatched from Dublin.
"The most exaggerated and absurd reports have been
flying about the country as to the number and character
of the Boycott relief expedition. Their effect has been
to produce some excitement in the district, but not to
the extent that has been represented. When the military
arrived to-day they were met by numerous groups of
people. who viewed them with much curiosity, and were
impressed with a belief that something very serious was
going to happen when they saw so large an addition to the
formidable force already quartered in the county. No hos-
tile demonstration, however, was made. Although the
presence of so many soldiers is calculated to confirm their
expectation of an Orange invasion, it will also be likely to
have a good effect in overawing the disaffected classes and
giving confidence to the well-disposed. As there is a large
number of farms in the possession of the Land League
sympathizers, a collision would be a very serious affair, and
hence the propriety of taking the most effective pre-
cautions The system of persecution to which
Captain Boycott is exposed is carried on with unabated
malevolence. On Monday last, when proceeding to the
laud meeting at Robeen, a car-driver was assaulted and
beaten because he carried police and goods out of Lough
Mask-house. All the car owners and drivers have now
refused to hire or drive a car for police on protection duty
accompanying obnoxious persons to whom the Government
allowed the use of vehicles at the public expense. It will
be necessary for the authorities to provide horses and cars
' for the police in future. Military patrols, both cavalry
and infantry, are now out every night protecting Captain
Boycott's herds and stewards' houses. All the shopkeepers
in Ballinrobe have been warned not to supply him with even
bread. The bedding and other articles of outfit for the
police had to be brought out in the sub-inspector's car to
Captain Boycott's house, as no owner or driver of a car or
cart would dare to go." . . .