SENSATION IN LONDON

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 164, 29 July 1937, Page 5

SENSATION IN LONDON

Explosion Near City Hall in Belfast DUE TO LAND MINE (Received 29, 1.30 pjn.) LONDON, July 28. A sensation was caused in London on receipt of news just before midnigfit that an explosion, occurring in Academy street, Belfast, while tfie King was in the City Hall 300 yards away, was due to a land mine, and not as cabled earlier, a gas leak.' Tfie original statement in the afternoon was official, but tfie police at a late hour, after continual questioning, admitted that it was caused by explosives. In tfie meantime, the correet story was widely circulated on the Continent and later contradicted. Italian newspapers expressed sympatfiy with Their Majesties and the British people, The police stated: "There is not the slightest doubt that tfie explosion was caused by explosives. To tfie explosives was attacfied a considerable lengtfi of fuse, possibly a time-fuse, wfiicfi is in tfie possession of tfie police." The faetory is sdtuated adjacent to the route, but the explosion occurred an hour after tfie procession fiad passed. It was a sfiattering explosion, and blew a fiole four feet across tfie pavement, smasfiing windows 150 yards idistaift. Tfie police rusfied to tfie scene in armoured cars. It was a roar as if a great sfiell fiad burst. Another land mine was found about 100 yards from tfie platform just before a detaefiment of epecial constabulary was due to leave Belfast station for Londonderry late to-nigfit. A detonator was connected wdtfi electrical apparatus some distance away. In tfie meantime, over tfie desolate fiills of tfie Free fState-Ulster border, squads of armed police are fiunting terrorists, Along tfie frontier a acore of Customs poste lay in ruins, mined or fired, and houses burnt down. Attempts were made to blow up 13 railway road bridges. Owing to a wall collapsing under the pressure of a crowd at Balmoral, Belfast, a number of children fell almost 4n front of tfie Royal car, wfiicfi promptly slowed up. Tfie children serambled to tlieir feet. Two .children, after fivst-aid treatment, wero given seats on tfie grandstand. The Qneen soyght information of tfie occurrenne and sympatfiised with tfie two finrt children. Tfiey were glad others were not injured.