and Nasmyth in that gallant defence. Ballard, on his way home from India on sick leave, was attracted by the events then going on in Turkey; he turned aside from his homeward journey, threw himself into Silistria, shared in the perils and the glory of the defence, and kept it up after Butler had died in his arms. My friend Mr. P. J. Smyth, M.P., has shown me that I was mistaken in supposing that Mr. Smith O'Brien disapproved of the plan adopted for the escape of John Mitchel from Van Diemen's Land. I took my impression from the statement made, and repeated several times at long intervals, by Lord Palmerston, in the House of Commons. As far as I then knew, the statement was never contradicted. Mr. Smyth has shown me that Smith O'Brien himself emphatically contradicted it. A public dinner was given to Mr. O'Brien in Melbourne in 1854, and Mr. O'Brien on that occasion expressed his entire approval of the manner of Mr. Mitchel's escape, and declared that his only reason for not adopting it himself was that 'I was not prepared to take a step which would have rendered it impossible for me to return to Ireland.' I think it right to call special attention to this fact, as I am sure it will be new to the vast majority of readers, and will correct a belief almost universal, in England at least, and perhaps even in Ireland. I have received many valuable suggestions from correspondents whom I know, and whom I do not know, with regard to this work. Various inaccuracies and defects have been pointed out to me. I have carefully considered every suggestion, and have supplied deficiencies and corrected errors as far as I could. I cordially thank the public and the critics for the generous reception they have given to my book. It has had, through critics and readers, a success such as I had never allowed myself to expect. August 1880. VOL. IV. a JUSTIN MCCARTHY. |