HC Deb 10 June 1881 vol 262 cc239-42
LORD EUSTACE CECIL

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for War, Whether he is now in a position to contradict the very alarming statements which have appeared in some newspapers with reference to the conduct of the troops stationed at Clonmel?

MR. CHILDERS

May I ask if this is the Question put on the Paper by the hon. Member for the City of Cork (Mr. Parnell)?

LORD EUSTACE CECIL

No, Sir: I meant to have asked a Question after the hon. Member for the City of Cork had addressed his Question.

MR. CHILDERS

I can answer the Question of the hon. Member for the City of Cork if, in his absence, any hon. Member will put the Question which is on the Paper.

MR. JUSTIN M'CARTHY (for Mr. PARNELL)

asked the Secretary of State for War, Whether his attention has been drawn to the following paragraph in the "Freeman's Journal "of June 1st:— The military, consisting of about 100 Hussars, drafted from Cahir and Fethard, and about 100 men of the 48th Foot, and a large number of constabulary, were drawn up in military order in Nelson Street. A small excited crowd, consisting of about two dozen persona, men, women, and children, were standing on the footpath at the corner of Nelson Street, listening to the advice of the Rev. Mr. Byrne, of Clonmel, when suddenly an order was given to the Hussars to charge. The company charged the unarmed crowd full speed on the footpath, slashing their swords in an unmerciful manner. Some of the soldiers' horses fell in the charge, and the people had to seek refuge in shops, private houses, hotels, &c. The troops again came charging back through the town. While coming through Dublin Street stones were thrown from the windows, and the military had to take refuge in the barracks. The shops had to be closed, and business was absolutely suspended. I am unable to give an accurate account of the number of the wounded, having to fly for protection to Hearne's Hotel myself; and, whether it contains a correct account of what took place?

MR. CHILDERS

Sir, the hon. Member for the City of Cork does not state where the occurrence described by the extract from The Freeman's Journal took place; but I find that it was at Clonmel. The narrative is altogether inaccurate; and, perhaps, I had better read the official Report from Colonel Foster, commanding the troops, which I have every reason to believe is correct:— At about 1 p.m. on the 31st ult. three side streets in Clonmel were occupied by two officers and 40 men of the 20th Hussars, and two officers and 100 men of the 48th Regiment. While there stones and other missiles were freely thrown by the mob, which consisted of some hundreds, into the ranks of the infantry, one man of the 48th being hit on the head with a piece of iron and knocked down senseless. This piece of iron was taken possession of by the captain commanding- the party of that regiment. After the lapse of about three hours the crowd became so riotous that Captain Slack, Resident Magistrate of Carrick, told him (the officer in charge) that the cavalry should mount, as their services might be required immediately. A few minutes afterwards Captain Slack gave instructions that the cavalry should clear the streets, on which the officer commanding the detachment of Hussars was directed to send an officer and half his men for this purpose, which he did. In the meantime a constable had been much injured, and Colonel Carew, R.M., gave instructions to move some of the infantry into Nelson Street in front of the Court House. The detachment of cavalry, after clearing the street, took up a position in Nelson Street, with the infantry and a body of constabulary. Large stones were being so continuously thrown by the mob that the constabulary charged them, and, after a little delay, there being no cessation to the stone-throwing, by which men and horses were being injured, Colonel Carew gave instructions that the cavalry should again clear the street; and, on their return, seeing the very turbulent state of the populace, he suggested that the remainder of the infantry in garrison, who were then in barracks, should be turned out, as it appeared that their services would be required; but the proceedings at the Court House having terminated, the gentlemen of the Emergency Committee were escorted to barracks, and it was not necessary to send out any reinforcements. The detachment of cavalry, consisting of about half the mounted force employed on that day, when leaving barracks at Clonmel, on their return to Fethard, at about 9.45 p.m. the same evening, were assailed by a volley of stones from a mob who had taken up a position behind a wall and in the street, one of the Hussars was knocked off his horse, and a horse was so injured that he had to be left behind.

MR. TOTTENHAM

Are we to understand that there is no foundation whatever in fact for the Question which was put on the Paper?

MR. CHILDERS

I have already stated that the narrative is altogether inaccurate. The Report was called for in order that I might be able to state the precise circumstances of the case.

MR. ASHMEAD-BARTLETT

Has the Government received any information as to the serious riot which has occurred, and is reported to be still in progress, at Cork?

THE ATTORNEY GENERAL FOE IRELAND (Mr. LAW)

I have not yet received any Report on the subject. I may remind the hon. Member that, owing to the telegraph, information appears in the London newspapers as soon as it reaches the Castle in Dublin.

MR. RITCHIE

Is the House to understand that the Attorney General for Ireland, having seen the very serious news which came from Ireland in the morning papers, has made no inquiry whether the reports are true or untrue?

THE ATTORNEY GENERAL FOE IRELAND (Mr. LAW)

Sir, we receive, in the course of the day, telegraphic accounts of any occurrences happening in Ireland of a serious character. I have not yet received to-day's Report; but when it does come I expect to find that the reports of occurrences which appear in the papers this morning are just as much exaggerated as some of those which previously appeared.

MR. RITCHIE

That is not an answer to my Question. I asked if no inquiries had been made as to the correctness or incorrectness of the accounts in the papers of this morning?

THE ATTORNEY GENERAL FOR IRELAND (Mr. LAW)

If the hon. Member thinks my answer not sufficiently explicit, I beg to say that I have not asked for information, because if anything serious has occurred, I expect, as usual, to receive information about it in the course of the day.