much appreciable result on the ultimate
fortunes of the war. The French military authorities, knowing what
splendid fighting materials Irishmen would make, commissioned O'Kelly to
raise a large force. For this purpose he made Liverpool his
headquarters, and I was pleased to see him again when he called upon me
at the office of the "Catholic Times" My sympathies were strongly with
France, and I gave him what assistance I could in furthering the object
of his mission. At my suggestion, therefore, he took up his abode at the
hotel opposite our office, at the corner of Moorfields and Dale Street.
A large number of volunteers were got from among the advanced element in
Liverpool and surrounding towns, who wanted to learn the use of arms in
real warfare--their ultimate object I need not mention. From other
quarters in Ireland as well as England there were volunteers for the
French army. I had arranged through an emigration agent, Mr. Michael
Francis Duffy, a much respected and patriotic Irishman of singular
culture, for the charter of two steamers to take the men to Havre; but
just then Paris fell, after a long siege; the war ended, and the Irish
Legion project collapsed.

In 1872 James O'Kelly turned his attention to journalism as a
profession. He got his first opening on the "New York Herald," partly
through his thorough knowledge of the military profession, but still
more by that singular tact that never failed him under the most trying
circumstances.

Some years after, he called on me again in Liverpool, and I heard from
him of some stirring incidents in his career. Amongst those were his
perilous experiences in connection with the fighting in Cuba, from which
he narrowly escaped with his life.

Since then he has entered Parliament. He was a staunch supporter from
the first of Mr. Parnell. When the unfortunate "split" came, he took the
side of the "Chief," but none is more pleased than he to be a member of
the now re-united Irish Party.

In connection with the Franco-Prussian war I may be allowed to refer
here to a non-combatant, who, with his brother priests, remained at
their post during the terrible siege of Paris, ministering to the sick
and dying. This was my cousin, Father Bernard O'Loughlin, Superior of
the Passionist Order in Paris.

And yet, notwithstanding their noble services to humanity on this and
other occasions, the Passionist Fathers have since been driven out of
the country by the French Government.