Norwich bulletin., 1922-06-29

Michael Collins. head of the provisional roverumsut. took active measures today | against th republican insurgents under | Roy OC0nnor. in their stronghold in the | center of Dublin. Four Courts. An uitl- natuu for the surrender of the insur- l gents was ignored, and at the expiration | of A brief tin1e limit Free State troops in ] armorcd cars and motor lorries began ! movement against the insurgents. which f was met by an jimmediate fusillade from the building. From dawn untn night there we're heavy exchanges, although at intervS Is the firing ccasetL Small artillery, treIlch mortars and machine guns were elnplq yed hy the attacking forces but the irpegu- lars confined themselves largely to ma chine gun and srifie fire No attemut was made to carry Four Courts by assault. but one of the walls of the building was preached at va rious places.
 The casualtb2s are few in propos ton to the nature of the fighting, and tn ey con- sist for the most part of civilians caught In the line offfire. So far as is known to- night. seven ere killed and a score more or less seriouiily wounded. This does not Include any Cd Suaittes that may fhave been suffered by the irregulars, these being Impossible to- ascertain.
 Less than 900 Free State troops are engaged in tie present operations, and it ls known thzi: the irregulars number sev- ersi hundrui. The insurgents were s5iiged to eva cuats several buildings dur Ing the progr ess of the battle. but imme- siately took up new positions which had evidently been prepared in advance.
 The Free $ tate tro. = did not interfere with activities at repu-ncation headquar- ters in Suffolk street where Ramon De Valera and | Is colleagues met as usual. Mr De Nalei a declined to make any statement on the situation.
 The provisional government. once 1t de- rided 10 suppress the revolt of the irreg- riars acted Immediately and took eff -lently all ths, usual war measures. It is k1ndling the. situation entirely alone, Without any assistance from British troops. who are still in garrison in Dub Inc
 The goveraInent Is controlling the movements or. the public firmly, but with e minimum If interference In the ordi- nary life Of ( lie city-.N Nirtuati1glthe only nconvenienceit suffered up to the present are suspensioii of telephone service re- friction of C. tin service. and temporary Interruption of the mails.
 A feature othihe operations today was hat even with Q 3 short distance of the icsne of the Ehting business proceeded formally. and though in the afternoon here was sornss siackening of the traffic n the streets. a. visitor might have noted iothinE unusual.j beyond the sound of ar aliery and the ri tile of rife fire at inter Tzis, often in unt xpscted places.
 Citizens lined the quay and bridges 70 watch the bss tie. and a large holiday soatioad Of exct Trsionists from the Isle sf Man watched the spectacle.
 Military activis was apparent from midnight; then on military nRvements were continuous The Four Courts dis lrict was cordofA ds and the occupants were cleared frol the houses facing the Courts on the opr osite shore of the river To make way for troops. At 4 o'clock in Inc morning. whell firing announced that Rory O'Connor, 1e ader of the insurgents, had Ignored the .government ultimatum, nobody In central Dublin could sleep The noise of suocessivt fusiilades earned far In the calm night and all realized from he direction Of n sound that the long proposed attack ou Four Courts had be- gun.
 About g o'clock ,in the morning there was a long lull and the nasty conclusion that all was over. I'd It by 10 o'clock firing again became activel A breach was early made in the wall ofqthe courts, but so far Es the spectators wdre able to observe m very serious damage was done and the 5ombardment slackerted again, to be re- tuned from time tostine throughout the day.
 Two fs-pounders wtre employed by the Free State troops. with high explosives and delayed fuse, in order to minimize the risk of setting the building on fire and tho destruction of valuable docu- rnenu.
 By noon the irrcgulars had abandoned Orange hall which they 7edzed in the morning. The ball was in flames. bui irenen had the blaze out in twenty min. ties.
 The irrsruiars retired to Moran'sshote and other hotels adjoininy tthe junction of Gardiner and Talbot streets. Later they took over other hotels on theI oppo. ste Ede Of the river.
 The rumor spread that they hsdi callet 1p the whole Dublin brigade. whbch a few months ago displayed itself .massed iI oattaiions Co listen 10 addresses by Gen erai Rory O'Connor and General Lian Nsiiowes when they broke away iron their comrades ot thc/ Beggars Busl command But f such order for mobiiiza d0n was given it would be very difficult ln the face of government precautions, t, execute it odicial roops'were found al orrr the city at strategic ,roirrts and a most of the street corners. All were ver- siril and well-behaved and friendly witt he public. but obviously on the lookou Tor suspected persons
 The temper of the irregulars,was mani tested twice during the day in attacks ol sfilcisi cars or iorries. one being fired oI h Camden street and another. containint siicers on the Leeson street bridge Three Of the officers in the latter car an, 'rtvztes were wounded
 Rory O'connor issued a manifesto. fl, isnded 10 recall memories of Easter week when Sim Fein troops under comman, f Eamon J. DuEgan. now home secretary rsre bombarded in Four Courts by Brit Eh troops But the complete absence O British troops on thss occasion destroye, hs parallel and the belief is generall oppressed that O'coruor does not realI niend 10 hold out for any great lengtl r time The determination of the Iris government backed by the electorate. t ,o-ern is more strongly expressed by tn Tree State officials than ever and thei
 ppeals 10 public support have been cor iaily received.
 REE SKATERS COMPLETELY