DAMAGE ESTIMATED AT £3,000,000.

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

DAMAGE ESTIMATED AT £3,000,000.

ANARCHIST ELEMENT BLAMED. (Received December 13th, 7.40 p.m.) LONDON, December 13., Four hundred and fifty houses were destroyed in Cork. "" Tho damage is s estimated at £3,000,000. The city presents a, spectaclo worse ihan Dublin after tho rebellipn. Following the ambushing of tho" Cadets, there was an outbreak of revolt and rifle fire all over tho city. People were dragged from trams, searched, and beaten. Tho streets were doserted at nine o'clock, but the firing was unabated an hour later. The oontro of the city was illuminated by tho burning buildings. Several persons connected with the destroyed building ore reported to bo missing. • The Roman Catholic Bishop, preaching at the Cathedral, stated that he would issue a decreo excommunicating, everybody identified with the ambush of Crown Forces. Two brothers, named Delaney, were shot in their beds. Ono was killed, and the other is not expected to recover. The "Morning Post" says it ia impossible that the vast fires could have been started on the spur of the moment, as a reprisal. It is evident that tho fires were dup to the anarchist element —who aro only concerned in the break-up of tho Empire. The ''Daily News" says the fire started in a small shop near the scene of tho ambush. The shopownoi, au old lady, appealed to tho men who set the place on fire, and they helped to extinguish it before much damage was done. Another fire burned itself out. Tho houses of' two prominent Sinn Feiners were then burned, though the, men who caused tho fires worked hard to prevent them spreading to tho adjoining premises. Meanwhile fires commenced, in tho centre of the city.