Evening star., 1922-02-11
HOME,RlLE SPLITS QUEENSTOWN;
ENGLISH HAVE BENEFITED CITY
Irish Loyal, But Money Spent by British
3, Soldiers and Sailors Has Been Great 4.
.esss.>s.<sss Commercial Help. =. ...~.

| wines to bluejackets and he is pleased
with the kings shillings that cross
So. also. Mrs. Humbert. the host
tain Ia about the efreet Of freedom on
her condition. Her hosiery 10 the
most conspicuous in Queenstown and
the officers in the kings navy eat and
drink there when in port.
withdrew % their ef ma naval 1' base" @ she told
me over the Office counter. I'm for
|, home rule all right. but -.e have to
look out for our own interests. after
ALL =.
ouestionings on stroll up and
through the steep streets reveal much
the same trepidation. The people Of
Queenstown, neatly dressed, much
after the American fashion, ruddy OF
face from the raw sea breezes.
animated and friendly with fhe gen
rule. but they don't want to suffer any
penalties therefrom.
-. Aided by English. -, =
1t may be explained here that
Queenstown is one of the communi-
ties in Ireland which has benefited
directly under English rule. From
the early nineteenth century. when.
after the act of union, Great Bri-
, tain turned in to develop the harbor
of the city has kept pace with its
utilization by the empire. It's whole
interest has been the profit. from
trading with sailors and soldiers.
| Hence, it may not be considered to
be a typical Irish city.
There are Queenstowners, how
ever. who look for large material ad-
vantage from the free state. They
expect an independent Ireland to ex-
ploft the Possibilities of the harbor
and to revive the ancient glories of
the trade from Cork. Among them is
Capt. English. shore superintendent
of the White Star Line.
Expansion of Port Forecast.
'You see." he prophesied.. within
ten years. If Ireland develops as she
| should, Queenstown will be a second
Liverpool We have all the natural
! advantages of great port. Our har-
Dor needs to be widened and deepened
| before it will admit the largest liners.
We need docks and rail terminals.
but. having them. we will expand by
leaps and bounds"
When 1 first saw Capt. English on
the tender brin ging US ashore he was
! magnificent in blue and gold lace. a
| stocky. hearty figure with rubicund
countenance and undershot jaw.
"Ah." thought I. ''one of John
Bulls old sea dogs to the life"
seagoing skipper for years sailing
under the union jack, he has been a
stanch republican.
There was little fighting in Queens
town. although four men were killed
at one time and another before the
truce Of last fall and the crown had
1000 soldiers quartered in the dis
trict. But there was no wholesale
shooting and burning. and there are
no ruins for the curious sightseer to
behold. Perhaps that is one reason
| the people are not more whole-heart-
edly, for the peace.
Few Signs of War.
We couldn't fight Them" an !. R.
A. policeman told me at the station.
"Queenstown is an island, and they
had soldiers all around. If we had
started anything they could have
turned the. guns from the harbor on
the town. The best of the fighters
went away and fought outside. They
were good fighters, too
There are few signs of the war in
Queenstown, and few signs Of the
peace. The streets haven't been re-
paired for ever so long and some Of
the houses need paint, but the city
was preserved because it has been a
garrison for SO l0ng-and likes 1t.