Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1882-08-12
THE IRISH EXPEDITION,
UcuEss A MA1JER OF 0kEAr DOUBT.

THE lklSH EXPEDITION.
sUcuEss NJ .1,ER OF akEAr DOUBT.
Pr0os Tint ths Enteepriss VIII
Enooanssr Appalling Diae.ltsss sna
Probssss Disaster.
New York Times.
The allies of Arab Pacha are increasing
in number. N. do Lesseps was tho first
great power to declare openly in favor of
Egypt and undertake to trip up the Eng
Iish soldiers by throwing his dead body
under their feet The Irishmen have now
followed II. de Lessep's example and are
about to furnish Arab with men and
money wherewith to dhrive the British
divvies into the say, and 20 hasten the
apid dissolution Of the British empire.
The movement of the Irish in favor of
Arab is as yet confined to the Irishmen of
America. They have. however, declared
their intention with all the boldness and
frsnkness characteristic of a secret Irish
conspiracy. An Irish club, or circle, or
Land League, or something Of the kind in
Philadelphia has resolved to present to
Arab the proceeds of an excursion to
Cape May. and the Irishmen of New
York, not to be outdone in patriotism by
their brethren of Philadelphia, are to send
an Irish expedition to Egypt without de-
lay. 1t is thought that the money to be
give to Arab by the Philadelphia club
will amount to fully $3.50, and it is posi-
lively known that the expedition to be
sent from New York will consist of three
distinct Irishmen.
1t is probable that the idea of sending
an Irish army to Egypt was suggested BY
the difficulty of finding any easy method
of sending the expected $3.50 to Arab.
1t cannot be sent in letter, for the reason
that American bank bills are worthless in
Egypt, and the Cairene postoffice will not
cash an American postal order. Similarly
it is impracticable to send the money in
the shape of draft, for there are no for
eigu bankers left in Egypt, and the native
bankers will not pay out good gold for
mere slip of paper. Obviously, the oni )
way in which to get the $3.50 to Arabi is
Now, it occurred to the New York Irish
men that the best kind Of messenger that
could be sent would be an Irish army,
which could convoy the treasure safely,
and could bring to Arab the help Of
bold and inviDcible foreign legion. &c
cordingly, the Irish army ABOUT to be dis
patched from this city as soon as transpOr
tation can be provided will doubtless take
charge OF the $3.50, aud it is to be hoped
that this drain of gold will not seriously
affect the financial prosperity Of our coun-
try.
It will be comparatively simple affair
to transport the three Irishmen to Egypt
since they can easily 20 in the steerage Of
one steamer to Southampton and Of All
other to Alexandria. When, however,
they have arrived in the harbor OF Alexan
dria their difficulties will begin. 1t is
possible that if each Irishman lands in
small detachments the entire Irish army
may disembark without attracting atten-
ton, but surely it cannot pass through
the British lines unchallenged. The
British army will fall upon the three
Irishmen, overpower them by numbers
and thrust them into the first available
dungeon, where, in all probability, Min
lister Lowell will let them lie-bad cess to
him-while he banquets at the Tower of
London with the queen and joins in the
revels of Gladstone, Bright and other be-
sotted enemies of Erin. Meanwhile, the
$3.50 will be confiscated by the ruthless
SaxoDs, and thus a new and terrible chap
ter will be added to the history Of the
wrongs of Ireland.
Obviously, the Irish expeditionary force
cannot afford to run any such risk. 1t
must land on some part of the coast OF
Egypt where there will be no British SOL
diers to molest it, and must then carefully
make its way to Arabi's headquarters.
The three Irishmen may manage to land
without detection, but surely the march of
so large and hungry force through the
delta cannot escape observation. The
natives will flee in terror before their wav
ing shillalehs and the British scouts will
soon hear of their presence in Egypt ami
will suspect their purpose, no matter il
they, for prudential reasons, circulate the
plausible report that they have come to
Egypt in order to vote the Democratic
ticket and to earn an honest living as
Cairene aldermen.
Let as concede that tho Irish army sue
ceeds in reaching Arabi's camp. What
sort of reception will it meet? or course,
Arab would assume that SO large force
moving towards his intrenchments intends
to attack him, and he will instantly open
upon it with his guns. 1t will be in vain
for the Irishmen to display flag of truce,
for Arab has used that sort Of flag him
self, and knows how worthless it is. The
only thing for the Irishmen to do will be
to surrender and permit themselves to be
marched as prisoners into ArabIs lines
with tho intention of explaining til en-
selves to the Egyptian commander as soon
as they can obtain an interview with him.
Long before the Irish army can be
brought into tho presence Of Arab its
$3.50 will have to be looted by tho SOL
diers. When the soldiers inform Arab
that the prisoners are Englishmen how
will they manage to establish their real
character They cannot speak Arabic
and Arab knows no other language. The
more earnestly they try to tell him that
they are Irish patriots anxious to help
him thrash the sanguinary Saxons, and
regarding Arab as pathriot, q gintle-
man, and a scholar, begorra, the more
tho Egyptian leader will imagine that they
arc mad Englishmea who need to be put
to immediate death. They will be mas
sacred within an hour after they reach
Arabi's camp and the $3.50 brought with
them will be spent by Arabi's soldiers for
tobacco, not cent of it finding its way
into the Egyptian treasury.
If the Irish army could hire a dragOnan
to act as an interpreter it might succeed in
convincing Arab of its true intentions,
but dragOman must he a very expensive
luxury in Egypt just at present, and the
entire cxchsquer of the army would not
suffice to pay his wages for a single day.
The chance against the success of the
Irish expedition arc simply enormous, and