The police authorities at Belfast appear to have been much
disturbed by discovering large cases containing rifles and bayonets which were landed from a steamer from Manchester on Tuesday. The cases, according to the Times, were con- signed "to order," and were described as containing "electrical plant." The Times adds that the cases have not been officially seized, but it is understood they are being detained owing to misdescription and misdirection to await the arrival of the con- signee to claim them. "In all probability nobody will make a claim for the cases, now that it has become known that they have been detained." The cases are said to contain some five hundred rifles in all. It has been stated that they were purposely allowed to fall into the hands of the police in order to impress the Government with the seriousness of the Ulster movement. That, of course, is nonsense. The Ulstermen know perfectly well already that the Government is fully aware of the seriousness of the situation. Nobody who knows anything about the intentions of Ulster will be in the least surprised at the incident. It is the curious result of a policy which is to bring peace and goodwill to the whole of Ireland !
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