In the Chancery Division of Dublin writs of attachment were
issued on Friday, July 29th, against Sir Nevil Macready,
General Strickland, General Cameron, and the Governor of the Limerick Detention Barracks. The Master of the Rolls issued the writs as a consequence of the failure of the military authorities to produce the two condemned _prisoners, Joseph Egan and Patrick Higgins, who had been sentenced to death by a military court. The meaning of the'decision is that the Chancery Division regards the military courts as illegal. They wore set up by the Government because the civil courts had failed to do their work ; but we cannot say why-these specially invented courts should have taken the place• of ordinary courts. martial. The reason generally given is that the Sinn Feinera would have resented martial law -and courts-martial. No doubt they would, but the excuse is hardly adequate. As, however, the Government have released the two prisoners, the Master of the Rolls has granted a stay of execution of the- writs against the generals pending the hearing of an appeal in the autumn. The Morning Post asks with pertinence whether the Law Officers of the Crown were consulted when the military courts were constituted.
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