The Irish standard., 1894-05-12

fertile in resource; buoyant under mis-,
fortune, and was near being as fatal an
enemy to England as Hannibal was to
Rome.
+ Before going further into the details
of his bold enterprise his career may be
outlined in few words. He was born
in Dublin in 1853, was graduate OF
Trinity, studied for the bar, and in the
year 1870 he found bimseh IN the exhil-
arating arena of Irish politics. He was
warm -blooded, fond of adventure, and a
rebel to the core. In peaceful day like
this he would perhaps, in lack Of other
excitement, devote himself to the explo-
ration of Africa. The political move
ments in which he took part look petty
in perspective. Suffice it to say that ne
tried to harmonize the jarring elements
of the North and South Of ireland, and
met with even more success than he
could have hoped for. He helped the
Catholics in their struggle for the fran
chlse in 1888, but was naturally disgnsted
that they should be satisfied with the
scant measure of justice they received.
His objects were much more sweeping
and radical. As he afterwards wrote:
"To subvert the tyranny of our execrable
government, to break the connection
with England, the never. failing source of
our political evils, and to assert the inde.
pendence of my country-these were my
objects. To unite the whole people of
Ireland, TO abolish the memory of our
past dlssensions, and to substitute the
common name Of Irishmen in place Of the
denomination of Protestant, Catholic end
Dissenter we're my means"
In 1894 the Rev. William jackson,
Protestant clergy man, was put on trial
for high treason, The charge against
him was acting as agent between the
French government and the United Irish
Society, which had become rebellious
organization. Jackson anticipated his
sentence by taking bis own life. Tone,
who was in communication with Jackson,
took up the dropped thread Of his secret
work. Tone came to America The de-
scribes his travels in his voluminous
diaries), and from here went to France.
He reached Havre in January, 1896, and
nut himself in communication with the
French government.
Dec. l6, 1896, the first expedition, con-
sisting of forty three eail with an army
of $4,000 men under the command OF
IHoche and Grouchy, left Brest. Tone,
who held the rank of Adjutant. General
in the French service, was on board the
Indomptable. In the night the ships
were scattered. The Fraternite, with
Hoche on board, never reached Ireland.
But Grouchy, with thirty five sail, in
Guiding the Indomptable, made Bantry
Bay the evening of Dec 81. Tone urged
him to land. But he hesitated, standing
off and on the coast until at length the
elements warred for England and swept
the French feet from the Irish shore.
Never despairing, Tone did not relax
his efforts. Another expedition was pre-
pared by the Dutch Republic in union
with France. But the Dutch fleet unde,
De Winter was destroyed by the English
fleet uner Duncan at Camperdown, Oct
II, 1897. A month before the battle
Hoche died; Tone had kindled in tina,
soldier q real interest in Ireland.
Still another effort was yet to be made
Tho last expedition sailed from Brest
It consisted of feet Of one sail of the
line, the Hoche (seventy four gune), eight
frigates, and one schooner, all under the
command Of Admiral Bompard, and 0!
an army of 5000 men under Gen. Hardy
Tone was on the Admiral's ship, the
Houche. As on the previous occasion
the ships were scattered on the voyage
Bompard, however, arrived at the en-
trance of Lough Swilly, with four yes
sells and engaged with British squadron
which was under command of Sir John
Borlase Warren. Before the engagement
the French officers on the Hoche gath
cred around Tone and urged him to es
cape, as he could easily have done. 1.-THE
contest is hopeless" they said. Nv,
shall be prisoners of war, but what viii
become of you?n He answered: Shall il
be said that I fed when the French were
fighting the battles Of my country? No.;
shall stand by the ship"
The French ship was surrounded
Bompard nailed his colors to the mas,
For six hours the Hoche stood the com
bined fire of the British ships. Her mast
were dismantled, her rigging was swep
away, the wounded filed the cockpit
Tone commanded battery, fought dee
perately, exposing himself to every peri
Of the conflict. The Hoche finally strucl
and was towsdinto Lough .Swilly. Tom
was identified By an old college friend Q
his, Sir George Hill, ard was at t-onc
loaded with irons and hurried to dublin
The prisoner said to bis Judges Of th
i 49, r,<>1