10 MARCH 1900, Page 15

THE REGIMENT OF IRISH GUARDS.

[To THE EDITOR OP THE "SPECTATOR.") SIR,—Surely the moment has come for the realisation of your wise and generous wish—so often eloquently expressed —to see a regiment of Irish Guards form up in line with their comrades from the sister kingdoms. Of the three heroes of the hour two are Irishmen, and of these one is deservedly the idol of the Empire and of the Army ; in succession to Lord Roberts the Queen's well-loved soldier-son commands in Ireland ; the Commander-in-Chief in England is an Irishman. Her Majesty's fervid message "to her brave Irish soldiers" has not ceased to thrill our hearts,—our hearts aglow with admiration of the devoted valour by which that message was called forth. To the Queen and her family, to Lord Roberts, to Sir George White, to Sir Redvera Buller, to those who have—or who had—fathers, husbands, sons in the gallant Fusiliers or Rangers or Rifles, to every loyal (and to many a wavering) Irishman, to every generous subject of our beloved Sovereign throughout the world, how welcome would be the news of the formation of a regiment of Irish Guards by drafts from the Irish battalions with their blushing honours thick upon them at this moment. Mr. McBride did not poll a very formidable number of votes the other day ; if a battalion of Irish Fusilier Guards were quartered at the Royal Barracks " convaynient to the Phaynix " you would have no more Boer-Commandant candidates.—! am, Sir, 8:c.,