The Irish standard., 1899-12-09

less feroclous, Instead OF firing, COM
manded the concealed persons to ap-
pear, when poor woman and eight
children, almost naked, one OF whom
was severely wounded, came trembling
from the brake where they had secreted
themselves for safety (Gordon's Irish
Rebellion" p. 1I3).
But the outragcs OF the British troops
on women and children in Ireland were
worse than manning or even than MIR
der. Lord CORVALLIS, the lord lieuten-
ant OF the day, thus writes to his init
mate friend, General Ross: Con my ar
rival in this country put a stop to the
burning OF houses and the murder OF the
inhabitants by the yeomen or any other
persons who delighted in that amuse-
ment, to the hogging for the purpose OF
eNtorting confession, and to the free
quarters which comprelendcd universal
rape and robbery throughout the coun-
try" I abstain from quoting the evil
dence OF Nationalist writers which is on
this matter extremely specific Mr.
Lecky thus sums up the case i'll his re-
marks on the aspects in which the CON
duct OF the troops compared very I'M
favorably with that OF the rebels" "It
is acknowledged" he writes, ION all
sides that the rebels abstained to a most
remarkable degree from outrages on
women, while on the other side this
usual incident OF military license was
terribly frequent"
A sensational telegram announced
that the Boers had fired on an hospital
ambulance. | really do not know
whether the trouble has ever been taken
to contradict this allegation, which bears
its own rciutation by the treatment ac-
corded by the Boers 10 the wounded and
dying prisoners, especially by their con-
duct in relation to Sir George Symonds
The testimony OF Mr.. George Wynd-
ham i'll the house OF commons, who
stated when the wounded and dying, in
Guiding Sir George Symonds, were LETT
at Dundee, that the Beers would nurse
them as tcnderly as ii they were their
own compatriots. gives the lie direct to
this seandalous allegation.
But how did the British troops in Ire
land i'll 1903 treat their wounded and DIV
ing foes? Let me give single instance
illustrative OF a series OF diabolical acts,
quote Mr.. Lccky i'll his description OF
the sequel to the taking OF Ennscortlly
by the British troops in June, 1908:
Many houses were set on fire, and
among others one which was euploved
by the rebels as their hospital. 1t was
consumed and all who were in it per
lshed. The number OF the victims was
at least fourteen, and one writer places
it as high as seventy"
Mr.. Leclly puts on record a delicious
explanation OF this stupendous crime.
which rather seems to emphasize its
atrocity. Gordon" he writes, learned
on what appears to him good authority.
that the burnings were accidental. the
bcdclothes being set on fire by the wad-
ding OF the soldiers guns, who were
shooting the patients in their beds
1t will be remembered that Colonel
Badcn-Powcll, the defender OF Maize
king, obtained from the Bocr com.
nander the privilege Of an armisticc for
The burial OF the dead who had been
slain in one OF the sorties from that be.
slegcd town. The first intimation
moreover, received by General White OF
the capitulation at Nicholson's Mex was
message asking for help TO bury the
dead. The most scrupulous care, too,
was taken by the Beers that the body Of
Sir George Symonds should have rev.
erent sculpture in consccratcd ground at
Dundee. How in 1893 did the English
behave with reference to the bodies Of
their slain foes? l quote from Mr..
Gordon's History OF the Rebellion:
MANY instances might be given" he
says, "of men who at the hazard OF their
own lives concealed and maintained
loyallsts until the storm passed away; on
the other hand, many might be given OF
crueltics committed by persons not ma
tives of Ireland l shall mention only
one act, not OF what shall call cruelty
since no pain was inflicted, but ferocity
not calculated to soften the rancor oil
the insurgents. Some soldiers OF the
Ancient Briton regiment cut open the
dead body OF Father Michael Murph,
after the battle OF Arklow, took out hi:
heart, roasted his body and oiled theil
boots with the grease that dropped iron
it," (Gordon's History OF the Rebel
lion," p. 2I2) Nor was this fendisl
deed, thus placed on record by a Pro
testant rector who had no sympatll,
with the movement OF 1898, an isoatel
and horrible instance OF devils work
On the contrary, Mr.. Edward Hay, who
visited the battlefield of Enniscorth,
Immediately subsequent to the engage
ment, and was day afterwards com
PEELED to traverse the same ground O
horror, writes with reference to his sec
ond visit: eve set off with all cxpcdi
ton to avoid as much as possible tn
horrid spectacle of the dead bodies c
men and women strewn along the road