IRISH REBELS LAY DOWN ARMS

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXX, Issue 23, 2 May 1916, Page 5

IRISH REBELS LAY DOWN ARMS

MANY PRISONERS TAKEN Greek Railways and the Allies ' ■ . j (1 . German Submarine Base’ on Spanish Coast Mr Hughes* Visit to the British Fleet

CURRENT WAR TOPICS.

' 1 ■ The report that the Irish revolt had been nipped in the bud, as stated in yesterday’s “Post,” was received with a certain amount of incredulity by the general, public, but if it had been remembered that in this affair the Irish-Americans were in receipt of the news of the outbreak before other parts of the world, and that it was only reasonable to assume that when the end came they, too, would be the first to obtain the information, there was every justification for belief in the message which had its origin Vin New York. No one seriously considered that the revolt could he sustained for any length of time, as no matter how extensive the movement

might be, there was absolutely no chance of supplies of ammunition bekept up. The proclamation of mar- . tial law at the outset. placed the authorities,, in a position to dictate sternly whoever there appeared to be trouble;looming, and, in this connection the.distribution pf soldiers from The; Curragb had a, splendid dfeet upon the populace, while as a trained body they: were; able to speak to sofrie ! effect with their arms. The Cui'ragllj' it lhay be explainedis (a combi bn, 188 q; acres in extent, in the Comity of Kildare ) 32 miles southwest' of Dublin. Originally, the - ground Was granted as a racecourse by George IY, but the plain remains the property of the Crown, where there is a large military camp sufficient to accommodate 12,000 troops. v At The Curragh some important races v are contested, there being four annual race metings. There can be no doubt now, however, that the end has' come, ’ although! there is resistance still in one or two cbnlres, .as the rebel proclamation published iii out* columns to-day agrees to the surrender of the Re J publican 'Commandei's find orders all followers to lay down their arms. It is pitiful to think of the splendid lighting material of these people being wasted in such a traitorous cause, but the blasphemous language of the original proclamation issued by the provisional Republican Government stifles in the breasts of all Empireloving citizens any sympathy for such misguided opponents of law and order. To call on the Deity and the dead generations of Ireland to strike for freedom, while at the same time relying upon the support of known revolutionaries at home and abroad and also (which is unforgiveable) allying themselves with the foul brood of the Hun, is nothing short of treacherous blasphemy. The extent of the plans is to be seen in the establishment of a provisional Republican Government, the simultaneous risifigs in the various parts of the country, and th© display of arms and ammunition of which they had come into possession. There can be no doubt that the attempted landing of Casement, and the several offensives by the Germans on land and sea at that time were made with the idea of assisting as far as possible the Irish rebels.

Latent news to-day shows that' the rebels arc surrendering freely, over 700 prisoners being in the hands of the authorities to date. There is still some resistance being offered in two of the countries, but now a truce has been declared ponding enquiry as to the truth of the reported order of the provisional government to surrender. This little matter is only a question of a day or two, and then with the necessary court proceedings the history of this sad affair'in the history of Ireland will be given to the world. At the best it will make sorry reading, but out. of the dastardly and uncalledrevolution t bringing only bloodshed upon the guilty and innoji iere may (and it is to be be such good as will reHHHjHk N ation , allowing Ireland undespised anth free one of the -st *im hof the British orsi. enemies are 'ays have been (iermanv. imhas failed in - ”■ ' c Ut’> llv i bmwii in the isle Tt»c

worthy that in the reports sent by toe High' Commissioner references are made in more than one instance to the enemy being unable to obtain possession “of the trenches wo captured yesterday,” and that they suffered considerable losses. The French again affirm their superiority in air craft, and have been stirring things up- in various centres, as the result of which numerous explosions and fires have been reported. They have also been very successful iit getting on to the track of the enemy aviators, having brought down as many as seven of these machines/ including two of the much-vaunted Fokker. There is evidence that the Germans are concentrating troops and material for another attempt at an offensive at Verdun, for which, no doubt, the Allies qre making every preparation.

The Balkans claims some attention to-day, through, the dispute over the Greek, railways being requested to be used for the transport of the Serbian army', from Patras to Athens. The Powefs threaten Greece 1 with the pains of ! Zcppoliii ’attacks—or, rather,' with certain suffering as the result of such operations—while the Allies’ demands, are being made much of by the pro-German press with the object of. raising public feeling against the,,Entente.:, They hint, at the de- 1 mauds screening unknown plans,, and as a consequence, there is a feeling of growing uneasiness. We still have M.'Venezolos (ex-Premier), with ns, however, as to-day’s cables tell us that he is in favor of the Allies being granted the use of the railways. 'lt seems possible, to say the least, that the Allies will get their way —the railway!

The Germans are pushing on their submarine ..policy and extending their bases wherever possible; indeed, this they must do, for they are being hunted out of the ordinary trade routes where they first settled down. The latest .report of their operations will have the tendency to embroil Spain in the great .struggle unless someone intervenes and stops the use of the Spanish coast for the purpose of reyictualliug and re-fuelling the underwater craft of the enemy. Barcelona, which is laved by the waters of the Mediterranean, is the most recent field for the Hun’s work in this respect, and a few miles from the capital town of the province active and undisguised plans for carrying out their submarine warfare are reported. The coast lands of Barcelona are fertile to a degree. Agriculture is greatly developed, even in the mountainous parts, the chief products being cereals, wine, oil, fruit (especially, nuts), and cork, so that it will be noted the enemy has had an eye for utility in choosing a site for his operations.