He was constitutionally incapable of giving anybody away who had trusted him." Nothing but considerations of loyalty had kept him publicly silent in the months of this year when so much was done, and so much left undone, against his desire and his judgment.

In June, the Sixteenth Division was within 1,000 of completion.

The shortage existed in one brigade--the 49th--which had been formed of battalions having their recruiting areas in Ulster--two of the Royal Irish Fusiliers, one of the Inniskillings and one of the Royal Irish Rifles.

The conception had undoubtedly been to provide for the Nationalists of Ulster.

But, as it proved, these men vastly preferred to enlist in units which were not associated with the avowedly Unionist Division, all of whose battalions belonged to one or other of these three regiments; and the 49th Brigade was not nearly up to strength.