Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-03-21
All Ulster Towns Occupied
by Soldiers of Regular Army,
Fully Equipped for Service

BELFAST ireland. March 2l.-Ulster
This morning presented a very martial
aspect. All the towns We're occupied by
soldiers of the regular army, and detach-
uents were marching along the country
roads with long trains of baggage and
ammunition carts, on their way TO
strengthen the various sarrisons. In the
meanwhile at all the unionist centers
there was great animation among the
Ulster volunteers.
Throughout the province a feeling Of In
tense excitement prevailed, and every
body seemed waiting In anxious e1pecta-
ton for something to occur-they knew
not what.
Belfast Tough also displayed consider
able activity. Two torpedo boat destroy
ers. the Pathfinder and the Attentive ar
lived there this morning from KingstoWn
and landed five officers and $50 men of
the Yorkshire Regiment at Carrickfergus
Castle.
Regulars Equipped for Service.
Within twenty-four hours over 5000
regular troops, including four battalions
Of infantry with machine guns. and two
batteries of field artillery, all equipped
for active service, have arrived in the
various towns of Ulster These troops
form the advance guard of large armed
force which the military authorities are
sending to the northern province of Ire
land and to prevent the assumption OF
local government by anti-home rulers.
Still more troops are on their way TO the
north from the military camp at the Cur
ragh and from other army stations To-Day
The first arrivals in Ulster this morning
were the companies of half battalion OF
the Yorkshire light infantry. which were
conveyed from their barracks in Dublin
to Belfast Tough or board the torpedo
boat destroyer Pathfinder during the
night. They disembarked at an early
hour this morning and marched to Car
rickfergus Castle, a disused military sta
ton commanding the Tough. 1t lies ff-
teen miles below Belfast, and IS OF his
toric interest, owing to its having been
guns were mounted on the field there this
afternoon Orders were issued to other
batteries of artillery to occupy strategic
positions around the city of Belfast
Leaders Fear Riots.
These PREPARATIONS by the war Office so
far have not created any public demon
s;ration in Belfast. The leaders OF the
so-called unionist provisional government,
however. admit their anxiety lest their
overenthusiastic followers precipitate
riots during the two days of idleness at
the week end, and give their opponents
the sought-for opportunity for enforcing
rigorous repressive measures.
Sir Edward Carson, the Ulster unionist
leader. and his lieutenants desire the gov
eminent to take the first provocative
steps. Sir Edward, realizing the vital
ness of preventing an undisciplined out
break as a protest against all these troop
movements, today again urged the Ulster
men to keep cool during the week end.
All the places of business were open and
act NJ
the unionist leaders, all the men worked
until their usual Saturday closing time.
Every volunteer in Ulster still stands
ready for mobilization. The provisional
governments posting house by whicn
letters and dispatches are delivered by
hand to the furthermost points OF ulster
quicker than by the government post,
was busy all night sending and receiv-
ing communications to and from the
various mobilization centers OF the
unionists.
The drug stores of Belfast have laid
in large supplies or surgical anu Hieui-
cal equipment
Unrest Among Government Troops.
The feeling OF unrest among certain
sections of the government troops is
very strong. Some of the soldiers and
the officers of the infantry battalions
uuartered in Ulster, including the Dor
setshire regiment and the Norfolk regi-
ment have openly expressed their dis
inclination to take the offensive. This
does not cause any surprise among
civilians. who generally expect wholesale
defections.
\ significant illustration of this atti-
tude was given yesterday by the in
habitants OF EnniskilIen. who hung flags
along the streets in honor of the arrival
Of battalion of the Bedfordshire regi-
InEnt.