COLONEL SEELY AND THE OFFICERS.

Marlborough Express, Volume XLVIII, Issue 72, 26 March 1914, Page 5

COLONEL SEELY AND THE OFFICERS.

THE LEGAL ASPECT.

A SOLDIER'S DUTY.

LONDON, March 25. A White Paper states that on -December 16th an interview took place between Colonel Seely and the general officers commanding. When the possibility of resignations was brought to Colonel Seely's notice he dealt with the legal question. It was laid down that a soldier could, not shelter himself from the civil law behind his superior's order, if that order was unreasonable and outrageous. For instance, if the army was called, upon to massacre a demonstration ot Orangemen who were not endangering their neighbors' lives soldiers were justified in refusing to obey. What they were required to face at present was the possibility of the troops being called on to support ,the civil power and yto protect life and property when the police were unable to do so.

Colonel Seely declared that he would hold the officers , individually responsible that nothing was done by their commands subversive to discipline. The Army Council, on March 14th, believing that Armagh, Omagh, Carnckfergus, and Enniskillen were liable to attack, instructed Sir Arthur Paget to take special precautions. feir Arthur Paget telegraphed that all the officers of the Jbifth Lancers, except two, were resigning their commissions^ and he feared that the same condition would prevail in the Sixteenth Lancers. He also feared that t<he men would refuse to move. rt Lf{hJJetH et telegraphed on the 20th that the brigadier and fifty||ven officers of the Third 'Cavalry brigade preferred dismissal if ordered north. :'-

• X my - Qo«'acil replied authorising the suspension of .the seniors, and ordered General' Gough and the officers commanding the Fifth and! Sixteenth Lancers to attend at the war Office, stating that officers were being sent to relieve them forthwith, antl that resignations of all officers should be refused. '¥V^ Bnm^S4^ T: e°ntinued to-say that- general-Gough, reported that his oftoers were unanimously of opinion, that .further -information was essen:SSJ? efor? eing upon at such snort notice to form decisions vitally affecting- their future. Especially a

■■ CABIiENiiiWS. i

j [by electric telegraph—copyright.]

*Sear deftnSiion regarding the <tuty required in Ulster was wanted. If it consisted of the preservation of property and the maintenance of order all were prepared to carry out their orders. If they involved military operatkms against Ulster they would prefer 'dismissal. > On the 23rd General Gough asked whether, in the event of Home Rule i>eeommg law, they would be called upon, under the expression of ""maintaining law and order/ " to enforce H<>me Rule. He insisted on this point being made clear. The reply, initialled by 'Colonel! Seely, Sir John French, and Sir John JEwart on the 23rd, authorised General ■Gkmah to inform the Brigade that the Council was satisfied there -bad been '■ a misunderstanding. It was the duty of all soldiers to obey the Goun- ' oil's commands for the protection of ! property, the support of i^foe civil' power in the event of 'disturbances,; an 4 the protection of lives. This was i the only point the Council intended, i Sir Arthur Paget put it to the j oißoers that the Government must re- ] tain the right to use the troops to I support the ejvil power :in i&ie maintenance of order. It was not intend- j ©ft to take advantage of the troops to crush political opposition to fhe ;policy and principles of Home Rule.