DEFIANT ULSTER.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LI, Issue 15594, 28 April 1914, Page 7

DEFIANT ULSTER.

TROOPS ;GO NORTH,

AUTHORITIES ALARMED,

MARTIAL LAW RUMOURS.

THE SMUGGLING OF ARMS.

HOW CARGO WAS LANDED.

COASTGUARDS IMPRISONED.

MOTE BY VOLUNTEERS.

HIGHWAYS GUARDED.

POLICE STAND HELPLESS.

By Telegraph—Press Association— Copyright.

(Received April 27, 8 15 p.m.)

London", April 27. Three of the regiments now stationed at the Curragh camp have been ordered to Ulster.

The mobilisation of the Ulster volunteers last week kept the authorities engaged while the gunrunning was carried out.

I The volunteers patrolled 30 miles of the coast road between Belfast: and Lame Harbour, while the; Mount joy, which was at first; thought to be the Fanny, crept into' the harbour, followed by two small steamers. A swift transhipment followed, and the consorts of the Mountjoy: then departed from Bangor and Donaghadee. Ooastguardsman Falls Dead, After landing a large portion of her cargo, the Mountjoy resailed. A ooastguardsman who had sighted a suspicious vessel at Donaghadee rushed to notify her, I but dropped dead from excitement, , As the vessels entered Donaghadee , and Bangor, volunteers armed with staves surrounded the coastguards, | and imprisoned them in the coastguard stations. It is stated that Major McCalmont (Unionist M.P. for East Antrim) was at Donaghadee, and Captain Craig (Unionist j M.P. for East Down) at Bangor. i I Patrol of the Roads. The principal highways were held j up by armed and unarmed men who j stopped the traffic and rcfus.d to allow anyone to pass except those j furnishing the countersign. A thousand volunteers commandeered the Midland Railway Station, and remained till four o'clock on Saturday morning in order to intercept the soldiers and police. !

The Mountjoy's consignment consisted of 35,000 rnausors, and 3,500,000 rounds of ammunition. The gun-running vessel, which transhipped the Fanny's cargo at sea, bore the temporary name of the Mountjoy, recalling the vessel which broke the boom across Lough Foyle, and raised the siege of Derry in the days of James 11. The transhipment was dangerous work. It was done in the dark and in a choppy sea. Six hundred motor-cars were employed for conveying of the smuggled arms. Merely a Decoy. A collier whose suspicious movements in approaching Belfast and the interest taken in her by a detachment of the Ulster, volunteers, had the effect of concentrating the attention of the Customs officials. The latter learned too late that this vessel was merely a decoy, It transpires that the Fanny, while waiting for an opportunity to land her arms, lay in a sheltered cove at Lundy Island, where the appearance of the vessel was transformed. She afterwards sailed to the westward and met the Mountjoy near the Tusker Beacon. Arms Landed at Hull. A consignment of rifles and ammunition from Germany intended for Ulster was landed at Hull on Wednesday, and placed in a warehouse which the police are watching. No attempt has yet been made to remove the cargo. Rumours are current that the Government will proclaim military law immediately in Belfast, and possibly in other parts of Ulster. Mr. Birrell arrived at Dublin yesterday to attend a meeting of the Irish Privy Council. Ministers Hurriedly Meet. On the news being received in England, Mr. Asquith was hurriedly summoned from the country, and conferred with Mr. Birrell (Chief Secretary for Ireland), Mr. L. V. Harcourt (Secretary for the Colonies), and Major-General Sir C. Macready. The mobilisation was carried out with amazing precision, and the police wore powerless onlookers of the gun-running for six hours. The it-entity of many officers who interfered with the police has been established. Challenge To a Bishop. Colonel Soely (ex-Minister for War), speaking at Newcastle on Saturday night, asked " What of the plot on the other side, and against whom were the 30,000 mobilised?" He demanded an answer from the Protestant Bishop of Down (the Rev. Dr. C. F. D'Arcy), who blessed the colours, and who, if he did not denounce the use of weapons, would go down in history as the Arch-hypocrite of Christendom. Colonel Seely laid the whole blame on Mr. Bonar Law (Leader of the Opposition), the only man

out. of 45,000,000 who would not believe Mr. Asquith'B word. Ho supposed that before long there would be an appeal to the country. He would not support the cry of "The People Against the Army" because the latter knew . nothing about politics. That would be a false cry. . Mr. L. Amery (Unionist M.P. for South Birmingham), in a letter to the press, state's that the master-at-arms of the Hibernia, who was on .the Lamlash squadron, questioned the seamen individually whether they were for or against Home Rule. "Situation Very Grave." The Morning Post says the situation is extremely grave. It is obvious that the Government cannot ignore gun-running. On the other hand, it is unlikely that the volunteers will submit unresistingly to the arrest of their leaders and the seizure of their arms. The Daily Mail remarks on.tho Government's lawless attempts to use force as justification for the gun-running. The' Daily Chronicle says the gunrunning exploit justifies the Government's precautions to guard the depots. The authorities ought to = despatch a larger force now that the { [ Ulster Council has ordered the i volunteers to commit a series of crimes and show Carsonism in its full criminal colours. The Times says the Government at first jeered at Ulster about its wooden guns and then planned a' secret coup which failed. This furnished a fresh incentive to Ulster to arm herself, and from this arose the gun-running. j The Daily News says the plea for tolerance to Ulster now falls to the ground, and demands the punishment of everyone participating in, gun-running. i I NATURE OF THE "PLOT." j SIR K. PARSON'S REVELATIONS, j The name of Sir Edward Carson was put j a week ago to the "plot " against Ulster,! which has caused such an outcry in the; House of Commons. The story supplies j the missing link of the revelations which i caused the crisis between the Cabinet and i the army, and relates how Sir A. H. I Paget (commanding the troops in Ulster!,! when lie returned from London, after! taking orders from the late War Minister (Colonel Seek', told the generals that 25,000 troops were to he employed against i Ulster, and that land and sea would be blockaded. The Belfast police would begin operations, taking forcible possession i of the Unionist headquarters and store of i arms. It was thought, according to Sir i Edward Carson, that this would inevitably lead to bloodshed, that the volunteers j would attack the troops, and then tho soldiery stationed around Belfast would be ! called into the firing-line under Sir Allied I Paget. j When the troops had sustained some , casualties, it was arranged that a flag of truce should be sent forward and that the | surrender of the Ulster Covenanters should be demanded, failing which a general assault would be ordered. A military Government would next be established at Belfast. •

I The Liberal newspapers describe the I story as scurrilous, but the charges are so I categorical that the Government will proI bably have to answer it.