22 JANUARY 1921, Page 2

A Sinn Fein gang attempted, early on Saturday, January 15th,

to set fire to the great stores of the Vacuum Oil Company beside Wandsworth. Bridge. Fortunately, they were interrupted by a policeman before they could start a blaze among the oil-barrels. They fired at the unarmed constable and ran away. They were chased by other policemen, at whom they fired. A young Irishman was arrested near the oil-stores, and was charged with attempted arson and murder. Six other Irishmen were arrested in South London on Monday by armed detectives, who took them by surprise. The Sinn .Fein terrorists, pursuing the dynamiters' tactics of a generation ago, hope to terrify Great Britain into recognizing an Irish Republic.