BRITAIN ON GUARD

Wairarapa Times-Age, 19 January 1939, Page 7

BRITAIN ON GUARD

ACTION AGAINST BOMB TERRORISM

EXTENSIVE HUNT ORGANISED

QUANTITIES OF EXPLOSIVES

FOUND.

PRECAUTIONS IN LONDON AND ELSEWHERE.

By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright LONDON, January 18.

Following the bomb explosions in England yesterday, which are considered almost certainly to have been the work of the Irish Republican terrorists, the Home Office is expecting further sabotage attempts throughout Britain, being of the opinion that the outrages are only.the beginning of a campaign. The watch tonight was intensified at almost every power station, gas works i and water works, also the railways. Guards were posted at the Midland regional radio station at Droitwich. and at the transmitter headquarters of the Midland telephone system. These measures following a second Birmingham explosion, which, if successful, woudl have put of action the whole of the Midlands grid system. Every public building in Birmingham was placed under guard after the discovery of many unexploded bombs, i including a bag of twelve near a damI aged pylon at Great Bar. Many families near the power house are sleeping away from the danger zones. • Three sacks containing nearly a hundredweight cf dynamite and gelignite were found fastened to a big electricity pylon which carries the main electricity supply from Manchester to Warrington over the ship canal at Barton. The sacks were connected by means of a wire with an alarm clock set to go off at 6 a.m. The clock had stopped, but it started again when it was picked up by the police, who immediately cut the wiring. Precautions are also being taken in London, where the underground railways are guarded. The police are parading Downing Street and several Cabinet Ministers have been given plain clothes police guards. The Whitehall Ministries are also being watched.

A country-wide search has begun for six Irishmen who are believed to be the ringleaders. The Eirex Civic Guards and the Ulster Constabulary are co-operating in an attempt to intercept two notorious terrorists who, it is believed, went to London last week. It is known that they joined four Irishmen who are on Scotland Yard’s suspect file. Detectives made house-to-house visits in the Irish colonies at Paddington and North Kensington, also in the provinces. Many deportations are likely. North London is being combed with the object of discovering a bomb clearinghouse.

The explosions yesterday occurred in eight centres, mostly between 5 a.m. and 6 a.m. All, says the “Daily Mail,” were apparently intended to cripple the electricity systems, but, except for a breakdown of 30 minutes in parts of Hertfordshire, Middlesex and Manchester, the attempt failed. The “Daily Telegraph” says that all the explosions are believed to have been perpetrated by gelignite gangs working for the Irish Republican Army. Copies of the “Out. with the British” proclamation with which towns in Ireland were placarded were found posted up near the Southwark explosion.

“HOSTILE ACT."

LETTERS TO THE BRITISH

GOVERNMENT.

LONDON, January 17.

The London correspondent of the “Manchester Guardian,” reveals that the British Government on January 12 received by post a document signed “Patrick Fleming." declaring that the Government of the Irish Republic considered that the presence of British troops in Ireland was a hostile act straining the good relations between the two countries.

It went on to say that the Government cf the Irish Republic did not wish to interfere with the British, but the British interfered with them. The document concluded that unless the British troops were withdrawn by January 16 they reserved complete freedom for such action as appeared to them appropriate. Similar letters are reported to have been received by all foreign diplomatic representatives in Dublin.

CONCERN IN EIRE.

GOVERNMENT PERTURBED

By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright.

DUBLIN. January 18.

A special meeting of the Cabinet discussed the bombings today. A spokesman declared that the Government was most perturbed.

SEVEN ARRESTS

MEN CHARGED IN LONDON.

POSSESSION OF EXPLOSIVES

AND ARMS

(Received This Day, 10.35 a.m. LONDON, January 28. The police have arrested seven men in the London area. Later, at Bow Street, Lawrence Lyon, against whom a police sergeant gave evidence that he had discovered a rifle and ammunition at his residence in Willesden, was remanded.

George Brandon Kane was remanded after evidence had been given that a revolver and three cartridges were discovered under his bed. Charles James Casey was remanded after evidence that two revolvers, a pistol and seventy rounds of ammunition had been found in his flat.

Daniel Fitzpatrick, Jack Logue and Francis James Burns were placed in the dock at Bow Street together. De-tective-Inspector Bridges gave evidence that they were arrested owing

to what was found in a room they shared in Camden Town.

Fitzpatrick said: “I was the only one knowing anything about the stuff.”

John Francis Wharton was remanded. Evidence submitted by the police did not specify the discoveries in his rooms at Camden Road.

Lyon, Kane and Casey were charged with being in possession of arms and ammunition with intent to endanger life. Fitzpatrick, Logue and Burns were charged with being concerned together in the possession of explosives and also of five copies of an I.R.A. proclamation. Wharton was charged with being in possession of an explosive substance. All were remanded until January 26.

DISCOVERY OF BOMBS.

FAILURE OF TIMING DEVICE.

(Received This Day, 9.40 a.m.) LONDON, January 18.

Three home-made bombs were discovered tied to the legs of a pylon at Frankley, near Birmingham, and connected by a flex to a suitcase containing an alarm clock, which had stopped, thus preventing an explosion.

The Police Pensions Association is guarding Westminster Abbey as a precaution against bombing.