A FENIAN EXPEDITION.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 9711, 5 February 1910, Page 4

A FENIAN EXPEDITION.

The recent death of Captain Augustine F. Costelio, of New York, recalls a certain expedition which set out from the United States for Ireland, in aid of the Fenian insurrectionary movement of 1867. On April 12th, in that year, a party of 40 or 50 men, almost all of whom had been officers or privates in th 3 service of the American Government, embarked at Sandy Hook in a brieantine of about 200 named the Jacknel. On board was a large quantity of arms and ammunition packed in piano cases, "ases for sewing machines anl | wine barrels. Nine days after leaving New York the party hoisted the green flag, fired a salute, and changed the name of the vessel to Erin's Hope. The commmder,. whose name was John F. kavanagh, distributed Fenian commissions, and also produced sealed orders, from which it appeared he was to sail to Sligo Bay, and there attempt to land his men and arms. When the brigantine reached SY\zo Bay, she was boarded by a man who advised the commander that the landing could not be effectad at Sligo. Accordingly, the ve?se! left Sligo Bay, and set sail for l he- south coast. Meanwhile the SILo coastguards had observed her, and had reported her as "suspicious" to the authorities. Gunboats were sent out from Queenstown to intercept her, but she succeeded in eluding them. At- last, after having been 60 days at sea, asTprovisions were running short, ) about 30 of the nai-tv ropre landed at Dungarvan, County Watarford; and the remainder, with the arms and ammunition, were carried back in the vessel to New York. The landing was observed by the oostgfiards, and before night most of the "invaders" were in custody. Among them were Costelio, who was subseI quently sentenced to twelve years' penal servitude.