But smuggling is always a costly business, and Nationalists were hampered by the cost.

More than that, there was ground for suspicion that the scales were not equally weighted as between Ulster and the rest of the country.

On June 30th Redmond wrote a letter to the Chief Secretary repeating his case for withdrawal of the proclamation.

It is all memorable, but especially the warning which concludes the following passages from it: "In the South and West of Ireland, not only are the most active measures being taken against the importation of arms, but many owners of vessels are harassed unnecessarily.
"The effect of this unequal working of the proclamation has been grave amongst our people, and has tended to increase both their exasperation and their apprehensions.
"The apprehensions of our people are justified to the fullest.

They find themselves, especially in the North, faced by a large, drilled, organized and armed body.