The Washington times., 1921-01-08
OCEAN FLIGHT
DETA|LSBARED
Irish Leader Landed on Barren
Island Through Use of
Seaplane.
WELCOMED BY SINN FEIN
British Patrol Vessel Challenged
Yacht, But Left Without
Making Search.
WELCOMED BY SINN FEIN

NEW YORK, Jan. 8.-President
Eamon De Valera OF the Irish Re-
public used at least two boats and
q seaplane to elude the British pa
trolls awaiting him and landed on
Mutton Island the night Of Deem
ber 20, 1t was disclosed today.
LANDED ON ISLAND.
The New York American. a Hearst
paper. today prints the hrst story
Of the manner in which the Irish
President was able to depart from
this country and reach the west coast
of Clare without being captured.
Mutton Island. where de Valera
was greeted by friends. lies five miles
OFT the coast of Clare. in western
Ireland. There is another Mutton Is
land in Galway Bay, one and one-haIt
miles from the coast.
HELD UP BY PATROL.
The Irish President had a narrow
escape from capture when the yacht
on which he made his transatlantic
voyage was halted by a British patro!
boat. The commanding officer pf his
yacht, however, was able to satisfy
the British officer that his craft was
merely out on a pleasure trip, ana
as a result the boat was not searched.
Certain details of the trip cannot
be disclosed. an official representative
Of the Republican government said.
This official. man close to de val
era, received the news concerning the
story of the Irish Presidents trip at
Irish Republican headquarters al
Fifth avenue.
The exact manner of De Nalera's
departure from American shores Is
still a mystery. However, the official
TO whom the Irish president communi-
Gated news of his transatlantic jour
ney said no regulations of the United
states regarding the departure from
this country Of persons destined to
ireland had been violated.
WILL ISSUE MANIFESTO.
In sending word of his trip De
Valera said he would issue mani
Cesto in a few days which would be
of interest to Americans.
Commenting on the Republican
leaders departure from American
shores. his representative here said:
"Outside the territorial waters of
the United States, President DeValera
was met, according to pre-arranged
plan, by a yacht For seven days this
craft sailed across the Atlantic and
managed to elude the British ship
which had been sent out when Eng
fish authorities began to suspect De
Valera was making his way to Ire
land. On one occasion the yacht was
halted, but the captain was able to
convince his questioner, a British
naval officer, that the craft was out
on pleasure trip"
Two months ago De Valera decided
to return and once more became the
active head Of his government in Ire
land. Various means of making the
journey so that he would not be cap
1ured were suggested to him, but 1t
vas finally decided he would make
the trip to a point near the Insh
coast on a yacht which should come
over from Ireland for him.
This craft. II was explained. was
fitted out over n year ago to be used
by Sim Fein agents on trips between
ireland and other countries. Whether
the yacht had ever been used for a
transatlantic trip prior to the return
OF the President could not be learn
cd. =
De Valera left the shores of Amer
tContinued on Page 2. Column 2.)