If Belfast had been a city in any country of
the Continent, Bel- fast would throughout the week have been in a state of silged, From Thursday week to Thursday again the Protestant Catholic mobs have been fighting, shooting each other, killings policemen, stoning soldiers, wrecking houses, beating passengas, and at last, when the criminal classes had awoke to their oppor- tunity, stealing movable property. The Government poured in troops till on Wednesday there were 3,200 soldiers and police under arms, but they were embarrassed by the old difficulty, the want of confidence in the magistracy. Nothing would have convinced either side that magistrates of the opposite creed could be fair ; and the magistrates, aware of this, were afraid of taking any responsibility whatever. The Government sent down stipendiaries, but they were embarrassed by the local justices, and the rioters were consequently allowed to wear themselves out, without ever receiving that single sharp volley which in New York would have terminated the war. The loss of life has not been great, but the number of wounds has been excessive ; scores of families have been compelled to leave their houses to reside among men of their own creed, and the burglars are gorged with plunder. The whole affair has been most dis- graceful to Belfast and those who govern it.
