THE ULSTER CRISIS.

Mataura Ensign, 20 July 1914, Page 5

THE ULSTER CRISIS.

ARMS SEIZED. | ' | AS" SADDLERY AND HARNESS.",' N niOTBIO TELEGRAPH COPT BIGHI, PUB UNITED I"EESS ASSOCIATION. •Received July -0, N..'!o a.m. LONDON, July 19. A consignment of arms labelled "Saddlery and Harness' was seized at DubTin aboard a steamer from Heysham (a Lancashire seaport). It is reported that four cruisers captnrod a cargo of ritles which was being landed from an American yacht near Teelin. ! SITUATION UNCHANGED. KING AND PRIME MINISTER. LONDON, July 18. The situation is unchanged. The Prime Minister (Lit. Hon. H. H. Asouith) had a half-hour's audience! with tho King. MANY DESPATCHES EXCHANGED. LONDON, July 19. '"■ Many despatches were exchanged between Buckingham Palace and Downing Street on Saturday, and the Kin<; delayed -his departure for Portsmouth until late in the afternoon, when lM'r A«iuith accompanied hiiu. STRIVING FOR A SETTLEMENT. MORE GOVERNMENT OFFERS. LONDON, July 18. Tlje Cabinet has decided tentatively ta' move towards tho abandonment of ; the time limit for Ulster, and has resolved to offer to allow Antrim, Down, Londonderry and Armagh to vote as a Whole for or against exclusion. It is prepared l to consider the grouping with this area of certain Protestant portions of Tyrone. THE LEADERS-DIVIDED. LONDON, July 18. The 'Morning Post' (0.) says: "'A minority in the Cabinet, consisting of - Mr- Clrurcbill (First Lord of the' Admiralty), Sir. E. Grey (Foreign Minister), Mr Harcourt (Colonial Minister) and the Marquis of Crewe (Secretary for'lndia), with possibly one or two other influential men, is in favor of a clean cut of six counties. The majority, including Mr Asquith (Prime Minister) and Mr Lloyd George (Chancellor of the Exchequer), refuses to consider any concessions to which Mr Redmond will i not agree. Mr Redmond refuses to consider, any terms not including county option. The Unionist leaders are as determined as ever ill insisting on a clean cut." THE CLEAN CUT. LONDON. July 19. The 'Daily News' (G.) confirms tho Govern mentis offer to abandon the time limit if the Unionists abandon their demand for a clean cut. A deadlock has been reached over Tyrone. Sir Henry, Lucy in the 'Observer' I ■says: "The Government will decline to accede to the clean-cut of Ulster, and will seek to restore the Amending Bill to something' like its' original shape." He predicts the possibility of a confer- . ence of both Houses over the amendments. THE NATIONALIST VOLUNTEERS. LONDON, July 19. The 'Daily Mail' (O.) says that some American Army officers are training the volunteers with the cooperation of several ex-British Army ' 'officers. ! ■Replying to the Irish-American offer to send 15<)0 well-drilled and equipped ex-soldiers, the Dublin Committee stated that it did not want them at tlie present stage, and suggested that each should contribute a dollar to the arms fund. Other accounts state that the Nationalist volunteers are being organised on a war basis. Captain Moore is the Commander-in-Chief, and a systematic staff is engaged in organisation. IRISH PRESS CHEERFUL. GUN-RUNNING CONTINUES. LONDON, July 17. The* Irish Nationalist press is more cheerful than it has been for weeks, and it is assumed that Mr Redmond (the Nationalist leader) has received a pr<W mise from the Ministry that a clean cut for Ulster w ill not be conceded. The Nationalists are still gun-running on the western coast. HOME RULE ASSURED. LONDON. July 19. Rt. Hon. Walter Runciman 1 President of the Board of Agriculture) said that Home Rule was assured, as it was impossible for either a Liberal or Con"s servative Government to withhold it. The Government would not surrender under pressure. Some of those who took part in the debate in the House of Lords spoke as though they were still cocks on a midden, whereas they ought to realise that their supremacy is over. SPECIAL CABINET MEETINCS. LONDON, July 17. After a second Cabinet meeting the Government's views on the demand for Ulster's exclusion were submitted to the Unionist front benchers, as distinguished from the counter proposals. The front benchers' reply showed that an agreement has not yet been reached. LABOR AND IRISH QUESTION. LONDON. July 18. Rt. Hon. D. Lloyd George (Chancellor of the Exchequer), speaking at a dinner at the Mansion House, said that the climax of the trade lioom was reached in 1913. and we were now entering a quieter period. Nevertheless trade depressions were becoming shallower and shorter. Referring to the imminent menace of industrial trouble arising, lie said' that the problems connected with tho reorganisation of conciliation boards were unparalleled. A combination of 2.250,000 transport workers had uttered a solemn warning, and the prospect of an equitable settlement of these disputes was darkened by the situation in Ireland. He remarked that in the event of civil strife in Ireland when the industrial trouble in Britain was maturing the situation would be the aravM that- any Government had had -'to d*al witli for centuries, and that tliev and responsible men of all parties should strive and were striving for a reasonable settlement. All having the country's wellbeinsi at heart there was hope that such' efforts would be crowned with success.