11 MAY 1944, Page 13

Sut,—In his article under this heading in your issue for

April 28th Viscount Castlereagh seems to assume Northern Ireland to be "an integral portion of Great Britain." We would be glad to know how he explains the absence of conscription for the British forces within this " integral portion," and why, for security reasons, there shoo'd be at the moment a travel ban between it and the kingdom of which it is assumed tc be an integer? It would also be interesting to know why, in an era of Total warfare and air-borne armies, a permanent political schism in an island on Britain's ocean flank should contribute to the security of Britain? Or has Viscount Castlereagh information about the future of Europe that is hidden from the rest of us?—Yours faithfully, DENIS IRELAND. Ulster Union•Club, Belfast.