' Considering the more hopeful atmosphere which prevails, we shall
make no comment on the astonishing gun-run- ning incident, but shall content ourselves with a record of what took place. The feat by which the Ulster Volunteers landed some thirty thousand rifles and forty tons of ammunition was carried out during the night of Friday week. The whole incident is without a parallel in the history of the United Kingdom. The rapidity and success of the movement—as audacious as it was illegal—were the beet proof of the high state of organization which the Volunteers have achieved. On the evening of Friday week a general mobiliza. tion of the Volunteers was ordered, but thousands of them supposed it to be a mere test of efficiency. Larne, Bangor, and Donaghadee, where the arms were landed, were cut off from communication by telegraph and telephone. The local police were surrounded by superior forces, and the Coast- guards and Customs officials were similarly prevented from taking any action. All roads leading to the points of disem- barkation were picketed by Volunteers, who allowed no one to pass without permission. At Belfast itself the attention of the police was diverted by a false alarm of gun-running; Volunteers were marched down to meet a vessel which con- tained a cargo of coal.
