1 JULY 1922, Page 9

On Wednesday also Mr. De Valera issued a character- istic

statement that the agreement between the Republicans and the Provisional Government had been broken " at the bidding of the English." He described the irregular rebels as " the best and bravest of the nation, who would most loyally have obeyed the will of the Irish people freely expressed, but are not willing that Ireland's independence should be aban- doned under the lash of an alien Government."