The Ulster Crisis.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXIX, Issue 7, 29 April 1914, Page 5

The Ulster Crisis.

STORY OF GUN RUNN2NG.

THE FANNY AS A PIRATE. [By Eleotbio Telegraph—Copyright] [0 .ITED PRE** AOBOOIATTON.I London, April 27. For throe weeks the 300-tons steamer Fanny tramped the high seas with 'her cargo of munitions without her iship's, papers. According to international law the steamer was a pirate. She weathered three heavy gales in the North Sea. She carried an Ulster captain. When the Danish authorities retained her papers, the Fanny, under cover of a fog, slipped to sea, and ran for a Norwegian port to ascertain whether the purpose of her cruise had leaked out. From the newspapers it was learned that her disappearance had placed the authorities on the qui vive. During a storm her sidelight was smashed, and she eventually entered Yarmouth Road to replace the light and get tobacco, but not as the Fanny. Twice she changed her name, first to the "Bertha," and then to the "Dorothy." She was twice repainted, and other disguising alterations were effected.

Someone left the ship and proceeded to Loudon, and got in touch with the Ulster authorities. From Yarmouth the steamer proceeded through the Channel and steamed down the French Coast, thence to Lundy Island, where she was re-christened and redisguised, but it was considered unsafe to approach the Ulster coast. Hence the Mountjoy, manned by a picked crow, met the Fanny a hundred miles south of Tuscan. The vessels were lashed together, and tho cargo transhipped without displaying lights.

At dawn the vessels parted, and met again at Cardigan Bay, where they completed the task. .The Mountjoy made for Larne. Ono night a cruiser a few miles away played a searchlight on her, but doubtless regarded her as a harmless collier. Naval Manoeuvres. Five warships are manoeuvring off Larne, Donaghadee and Bangor, using searchlights. It is stated that tho Roma was detained, and the Ayr commandeered at Larne by the Ulster volunteers and compelled to land arms at Belfast. The captain protested, but was virtually made a prisoner by the Ulstermen. . Dublin advices state that battalions of the Yorkshire and West Kent regiments have been ordered to be in readiness to proceed to Ulster. The Daily Express says the Ulster Council had ordered that the Fanny should be scuttled rather than bo allowed to fall into the hands of the Navy. THOSE NAVAL ORDERS. v London, April 28. Mr Churchill, in tho House of Commons, explained that tho reason for ordering naval officers in Ulster to land in plain clothes was to avoid creating any unnecessary alarm or irritation. Sir Edward Carson, amid mocking cries of "Hats off to the King!" asked Mr Churchill whether lie had attempted to* attain a similar object by his Bradford speech. Mr Churchill dismissed the question as irrelevant.

- Lord Charles Beresford reminded Mr Churchill that the regulations demanded that the officers must wear uniforms on duty. Mr Asquith, after his statement in the House of Comonsm, had an audience with the King. Subsequently Cabinet discussed the Ulster question, and continues the subject to-day. Notice has been given of a number of Liberal amendments to Mr Chamberlain's motion for a judicial enquiry. The amendments declare, that in view of the preparation of the Ulster leaders, supported by the Unionist leaders, to resist the law instanced in the gun-running, this Houso supports the Government in taking action to vindicate the law. The Daily News says that owing to the exigencies of the Ulster situation, the presenting of the Budget has been postponed till Monday. "THE WAY OF PEACE." Times and Sydney Sun Services. (Received 8 a.m.) London, April 28. Lord Kinnaird, who presided at a meeting of the AVorld's Evangelical Alliance, urged his hearers to pray to God to reveal to the Government the way of peace.

A DANCER TO THE EMPIRE. (Received 8 a.m.) London, April 28. At the Foreign Consuls dinner, at which the Hon. Thomas Mackenzie was present, J. J. Stavridi, ConsulGenera I for Greece, said: "The prolongation of Britain's domestic struggle endangers her reputation abroad. Politicians, press, ant] publicists are acting purely in a partisan spirit." He recommended that, in the commercial and national interests, a few business men might exercise conciliation, concession, and commonsense to settle 'the matter satisfactorily. ARMS FROM AMERICA. [Uniteo Press Association.] 1 (Received 9 a.m.) London, April 28. A number of fishing boats landed

on the Donegal coast a cargo of American arms from a steamer, and this was distributed amongst Nationalists.

OPEN LETTER TO MR ASQUITH FROM AUSTRALIA. (Received 9.-10 a.m.) Sydney, April 29. An open letter to Mr Asquith is being largely signed in the various States denying the statement that the peoplo of Australia as a whole favored Home Rule, and adding the belief that Homo Rule would tend to weaken the Empire and he a permanent bar to Imperial Federation. The letter expresses the hope that Mr Asquith will hold a referendum on the subject, and concludes: "In resisting such a policy of injustice and tyranny the Unionists in Ireland have our whole-hearted sympathy and all such support as it«* might be possible to gender."

It is stated that already there, are appended nearly 100,000 thousand signatures. GOVERNMENT ATTACKED. THE PROPOSALS FOR PEACE. (Received 11.20 a.m.) London, April 28. Mr Chamberlain reviewed tho situation after Mr Asquith's appeal for peace on March 9th, to which Sir Edward Carson replied that he would submit the settlement to Ulstermen if Ulster were excluded. The Government recognised this as an advance. Nevertheless, Mr Churchill 'on the fourteenth delivered a threatening and provocative speech, concluding: "Let us put these grave matters to tho proof." Mr Asquith approved of this and the Curragh incident followed. MR CHURCHILL'S APPEAL TO SIR EDWARD CARSON. (Received 12.25 p.m.) London, April 28. Mr Churchill, continuing, said it was a cool request on tho part of those organising a force to make war to ask for information of tho movements of British troops. If General Paget asked for reinforcements ho would have them. If the rebels fired on the troops, he (Mr Churchill) would take all the steps in his power to secure and punish them, but there would bo no civil war unless' the Opposition made it. He appealed to Sir Edward Carson for peace, as any day an event might happen which would condemn all- to a continuance of this struggle on tho present hateful lines. If Sir Edward Carson accepted the proposed safeguards and promised to use his influence to' make Ireland an integral unit of the Federal scheme, it would transform the political situation.