IRISH GUARDS.
[To THE EDITOR OF THE " SPECTATOR:1 Sur,—In the Spectator of March 4th you write : " We should also greatly like to see one of the Irish Line regiments con- verted into a regiment of Foot Guards with three battalions. By making three years of previous service there a condition for admission into the Royal Irish Constabulary, we might easily raise three battalions of exceptionally fine physique." Why not, indeed, adopt the course you advocate, with so many obvious advantages to recommend it, save that to do so would involve a departure from the simply fatuous policy of disregarding Irish sentiment P So far back as the Crimean War, an appeal was made to our Constabulary to fill up the depleted Guards battalions. The men asked only to be formed into a distinct body of Irish Guards, and they would on that condition have responded to the appeal, foregoing comfort, safety, and higher pay in Ireland. Needless to say that their request was refused. But why convert an Irish Line regiment when it is open to revive and adopt the glorious tradition of the achievements of the Irish Brigade "from Dunkirk to Belgrade," at Cremona, and at Fontenoy What Irish carman cannot tell you of Fontenoy, where our countrymen, on the wrong side it is true, but through no fault of theirs, turned a defeat into a victory, and by their desperate courage forced from the English King the remarkable imprecation, " Cursed be the laws which deprive me of such subjects " P Why not, in fact, revive the old Irish Brigade ? If Ireland is to be recon- ciled at all it will be by dealing sympathetically with her national sentiment rather than by legislation, often unsuited to her special circumstances, and if the Queen cannot let her Irish subjects see her, the Irish Guards at least, on entering the Constabulary, would sensibly influence in a loyal direction
public opinion throughout Ireland. To sum up, you would at once add a splendid body of soldiers to your Army, you would accumulate an exceptionally efficient Reserve, and at no additional cost, for the pay of fifteen hundred Irish Guardsmen would not exceed that of the same number of Constabulary, which force would admit of at least an equiva- valent reduction, and last, but by no means least, you would take a step in the right direction in the gratification of Irish sentiment.—I am, Sir, &c., BOLTON JOHN WALLER. Moyston House, Belmont, King's County, March 17th.
[Oar correspondent has apparently mistaken us. Our suggestion was to establish a regiment (with three battalions) of Irish Guards—a regiment exactly like the Scots Guards. By converting an existing Irish regiment the new Irish Guards would be endowed at the outset with traditions and esprit de corps.—ED. Spectator.1
Previous page
