IRELAND.

Press, Volume LVI, Issue 17017, 14 December 1920, Page 7

IRELAND.

CORK CIiY BURNINGREPRISAL FOR ATTACK ON CADETS. (By Cab!*—Press Association— Copyright./ (Australian and X.Z. Cable LONDON, December 12. Bv explosions and incendiary fires in Cork, the City Hall, the Carnegie Library, and a number of theatres were destroyed. Tfio fronts of three blocks, embracing many large business houses 'in Patrick street, were reduced to rinns. Two largo drapery houses were blown up. There were no fatalities. The people of Cork were in terror all night long. . Park street, tho city's mam artery, was the chief scene of the incendiarism. TRe three destroyed blo.ks had a frontage- to Patrick street. Tiio block from Cork street to Winthrop street, containing 12 large premises, and tho blocks from TVinthrop street and street to l\lor, hant street, were aHdeimolisiicd. Grant's and Cash and Co. s lar<*e drapery- c-stabl shments were γ-yin imijv explosives, the entire front being blown into the street. Efforts are proceeding to save- another threatened ! Two theatres in King street and Winthrap street were destroyed. i-i\e Carengie Library is still burning, buu is beyond salving." Only tho walls of the City Hall nre standing. The fires started simultaneously. There arc various theories for the outrapes, the most popular being that of reprisals. A Dublin Castle official statement says that 12 awxiliarv cadets, riding in a lorry, were wounded, pome seriously m an ambush in Cork City within half a mile of tfio barracks. Bombs were thrown into the lorry. The attackers escaped. ' Tho outrages are now asserted to he reprisals for the ambushing of tho cadets. One of tho cadets has succumbed. In addition to the City Hall and the Carnegie Library, tho adjoining 18 business houses in Patrick s+reot were burning simultaneously, nnd the fires wore not overcome nt mid-day to-day. Tho fires appear to have started in two bin'ldinjrs only, but spread. The fact,that there were no casualties is fluo to a- warning issued to re*uVnte to lenvo. ■Forces of noFce nnd mil-tiry to-dav prevented looting, and are kc-ep-incr spectators clear of the collapsed WrH'ncs. Owing to fears of a renewal of hostilities to-niVbt. pooplo wliopo premises Tiave been ■(rrer , ].- 0 -'' Ti.ave mo red their furniture to tho country.