 |
| BANTRY COVE, CO. CORK. -Bantry Bay is a chosen maneuvering arena for the different squardrons of the British fleet that cruise in Irish waters, and is one of the finest deep-water harbors in either hemishpere. We have already referred to it as the attempted landing place of the French expediton, under Hoche in December, 1796, when dealing with the town of Bantry. The foregoing view of what is known as "Bantry Cove," gives a very excellent idea of the bold and beautiful outline of the mountain-girdled shore, so replete with historic memories. Alternately, for centuries, the English, the Spanish and the French navies have made their rendezvous, peaceful or hostile, in these waters, but an Irish battle-ship has not fretted their billows since the leopard flag of Plantagenet first fluttered in the Irish breeze. It is most extraordinary that so warlike a people as the Irish, with so fine a seaboard -so capable of defense-never though of equipping even a privateer fleet to harass the commerce of their greatest enemy. This fatal omission-partly due to faction and somewhat wlso to absence of a rich national exchequer -has been one of the main causes of Ireland's subjugation. One good reason why America won her independence was because the Colonies issued letter of marque, and let loose Barry, Paul Jones and other "ocean-warriors" to ravage the British merchantmen. A dozen armed vessels, of swift sailing capacity, and ably commanded, can do more for an oppressed country's libery than the same number of brigades or even divisions. |
 |  |