The New York herald., 1922-07-02
Every Shot Has a Meaning
of It's Own and They
Can Often Tell 1t.
WAR HAS LIGHTER SIDE
Participants as Well as Sight
seers Ready to Find Some
Amusement.
Copyright foss, ov THE NEW YoRK HERALD.
Special Cable to THE NEW YoRK HERALD.
New York Herald Bureau.

Copyright. foss, by THE NEW YoRK HHHAIp
Special Cable TO THE NEW YonK HERALD
New York Herald Bureau,
Dublin. July 1.
1t was not all gloom and tragedy In
London. The people came out to see
instead of seeking the safety OF their
Dublin during the sixty nOurs' battle
for possession Of the Four Courts
building. which ended yesterday with
it's surrender. The people of the city
took keen interest in the proceed
ings, naturally, and they we're out in
force to see as much as possible of the
fighting. Also they. and the combat
ants too. were quick to find any amuse-
ment possible and see the lighter side
of what was going on.
Just as In the f1ercest battles Of the
world war and other wars, partiei-
pants were on the lookout for any
amusing interest, so 1t was In this
case.
Now the people of Dublin have be-
come hardened to street fighting in
the last few years and know reason
ably we'll how to take care Of them
selves. They know that they run a
risk when they go out on the streets
while fighting is going on. but in their
experience they have learned how to
minimize these risks. and they run
them all the same. 1t was the same
during the bombardment OF Paris and
cellars, and many of them suffered for
their curiosity.
Guessing by sound.
The Dublinites have learned that
every shot has meaning all its own
and during the recent days of fighting
they kept fairly up with happenings by
sound. A person fairly familiar with
the city knew the places held by the ir-
regulars, and whenever they heard
bursts of firing In such localities they
could guess that the place was beina
attacked II the firing was prolonged
II there were merely a scattered burst
or so they could guess that passins
lorry filled with irregulars or supplies
for them was passing and drawing The
fire.
After the first attack on the Tou,
Courts there were numerous ambuscade,
In the streets used by the regulars foi
communicating with their barracks. an6
the blase Dublinite hearing bursts q,
rifle fire, punctuated with grenade. ex
plosions, in some spot which was no
known as an irregular stronghold, woult
merely remark: Ambush on Sackvill,
street" or wherever the sounds cam,
from.
An occasional huge blast, about ever
flfteen minutes at times, meant a shu
from one of the regulars field picces
This caused no alarm because both o.
the eight-pounders In use were firing q
range of only abou. zoo yards ~ :
target hundred yards or more across
and although the gun crews were no
expert they could hardly fail to score
hit.
| Rifle gunfire In the area about tr,
Four Courts was attended with few cas-
ualties. Both sides kept under covel
pretty we'll and the Civilian eghtseer.
learned quickly the regular paths of Tn,
bullets exchanged between the attacke.i
and the besieged
| The vigorous firing on wednesda,
morning In Parnell square, punctuatet
with the muffled noise of explod ms
grenades, told the Dublinites that tn,
| regulars weer attacking a Republican
nest and were meeting stiff opposition.
sniping Most Dangerous.
1t was the miscellaneous firing abor
the streets that required the closes
guessing by the civilian gazer. Tnes
shots were dangerous. although the par
ticipants on both sides took all precau
tions possible under the circumstance.
to avoid injuring civilians. But as on,
of these latter remarked
The boys mean well but some O.
them lose their heads at times and shoe
wild. and then again some of them art
mighty poor shots and are likely to nur
some one. not meaning to-"