The beginning was the chance to give a lead.
Far graver was the intolerable delay in forming a corps which should appeal definitely to Irish national and Nationalist sentiment.

The First Army included one Irish Division--the Tenth, destined to a splendid history, under a popular commander, Sir Bryan Mahon; but it had no specially Nationalist colour, so to say, and no connection with the Irish Volunteers.

Redmond wanted the counterpart of what had been readily granted to Sir Edward Carson; and this was what Mr.Asquith had outlined in his speech at Dublin.

The Sixteenth Division already existed; its commander was appointed on September 17th.

But the first step to give it the desired character was not taken without long delay, and much heart-burning and confusion resulted.
Part of the confusion is attributable to the fact that Redmond, in his desire to touch the historic memories connected with the famous corps which attained its crowning glory at Fontenoy, always spoke of "a new Irish Brigade." But at the Mansion House meeting Mr.Asquith spoke of something more than a brigade--an army corps; and Redmond, following him, instantly accepted the idea.