Madeira The overture of ultimatums which we anticipated last week
before serious hostilities in Madeira appears to have reached a crescendo of real finality. The safety curtain at any rate has risen. On Monday the punitive armada of six warships and two transports, with the Minister of Marine in command, landed troops at Machico, north east of Funchal : the invaders destroyed a wireless station and re-embarked with seventeen prisoners. There were no casualties. On Tuesday the Government forces issued to the garrison of from two to three thousand "constitutionalist rebels" what purports to be the last of a long and honourable line of ultimatums. The latest reports indicate that shots have been exchanged between the batteries on shore and the blockading ships, and bombs dropped on the island by seaplanes ; but it is not clear whether this was before or after the delivery of the ultimatum. We fear that further developments may run counter to the traditions of comic opera, hitherto so faithfully upheld. The mediation of the Bishop of Funchal has been refused.
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