TROOPS IN BELFAST.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 16751, 5 June 1922, Page 4

TROOPS IN BELFAST.

THE BORDER ARMY.

By Telegraph—Pm* Association —Copyright Australian and N.Z. Cable Association. LONDON, June 3. Significant British military preparations are proceeding in Belfast which now has the largest garrison in its history Infantry, field artillery, siege guns and airmen are arriving daily. Troops have replaced the specials on the Fermanagh border where two huge armies are face to face. The police found an arsenal concealed in a sniper’s attic in Belfast containing rifles, revolvers, grenades and thousands of rounds of ammunition. The commandant of Londonderry has prohibited the export of motor spirit oil into Donegal by road, rail or sea. This is expected to paralyse the Republicans’ huge fleet of commandeered motor-cars. Belfast had a quiet day to-day. There were only two attempts at murder and one death Magistrates sentenced a number of men found with revolvers in their possession to eighteen months’ hard labour. Several men called at the home of a Belfast doctor and asked if !he was in. The servant, Susan M’Cormack,. replied “ No.” The men poured petrol over the girl and set fire to her. She was sent to the hospital in a most serious condition. The crowd attempted to rescue seven men who had been arrested in Belfast for looting. Fire was opened on the police who replied, killing one man. MR ARTHUR GRIFFITH. LONDON, June 3. Mr Arthur Griffith went to Dublin after submitting to the British Cabinet the answers to the six questions. He returns next week to resume negotiations. ELECTION CANDIDATES. LONDON.. Juno 2. The list of the Coalition candidates iesulting from the Collins-de Valera agreement, as published, includes only four non-members of the present Dai.' Eireann. There are 124 candidates foi 128 seats, four Dublin University seats being uncontested by the Coalition. The famous “ Commandant ” Breen was nominated by both sides, making a nominal total of 120, of whom sixty - six are pro-Treaty and fifty-nine antiTreaty- Independent candidates are likely to produce contests in a score of constituencies, the Farmers’ Union and Labour each having about twenty condidates ready-

MOTOR-BOAT NAVY.

WOMAN’S BRAVERY. Banter’s Telegrams. LONDON, June 1. A remarkable story is told of the saving of the police garrison at Ballynameena Castle by the help of Mrs Laver ton, owner of the yacht Pandora. Mrs Laverton, who is well acquainted with Lough Erne, insisted on accompanying the relief expedition aboard the vessel and, at a critical moment, herself weighed anchor under fire. The garrison was finally evacuated. The “Evening News” states that Ulster has raised a picturesque little motor-boat navy, commanded by a woman. Her flagship is the yacht Pandora which she owns. The fleet is in Lough Erne, patrolling the shores and preventing supplies reaching the Sinn Feiners encamped at Pettigoe. Meanwhile a determined siege of Londonderry seems imminent- Two camps, containing several hundred Republicans, splendidly equipped, have been established north and south of the city. The position is most critical.