of the Royal Irish Constabulary being seen in the enclosure.  The sun shone brilliantly as Colonel Wallace led the men of the North division into the enclosure.  Amidst subdued cheers he marched them across the field in fours, forming up in quarter column by the right, facing left.  For an hour and a quarter the procession filed through the gates, the men taking up their positions with perfect movement and not the faintest suggestion of confusion.  As the men from the West took up their position the crowd broke into a great cheer.  They mustered only two battalions, but they had come from Mr. Devlin’s constituency!

“As a body the men were magnificent.  The hardy sons of toil from shipyards and factories marched shoulder to shoulder with clergy and doctors, professional men and clerks.  From the saluting base General Richardson took command, and almost immediately Sir Edward Carson took up his position on the platform, with Lord Londonderry and Captain Craig in attendance.  Then followed a scene that will live long in the memories of that vast concourse of people.  With the men standing to ‘Attention,’ the bands struck up the ’British Grenadiers,’ and the whole division advanced in review order, in perfect lines and unison.

     “The supreme moment had arrived.  The men took off their hats, and
     the G.O.C. shouted, ’I call upon the men to give three cheers for
     the Union, taking their time from me.  Hip, hip——­’

“Well, people who were not there must imagine the rest.  Out of the deafening cheers came the strains of ‘Rule, Britannia!’ from the bands; the monster Union Jack was unfurled in the centre of the ground, and the mighty gathering stood bare-headed to ’God save the King.’  It was solemn, impressive, thrilling."[57]

The following day, Sunday, was “Ulster Day,” the first anniversary of the signing of the Covenant, and it was celebrated in Belfast and many other places in Ulster by holding special services in all places of worship, which had the effect of sustaining that spirit of high seriousness which struck all observers as remarkable in the behaviour of the people.

This week, in which occurred the proclamation of the Provisional Government, the great review of the Belfast Volunteers, and the second celebration of Ulster Day, was a notable landmark in the movement.  The Press in England and Scotland gave the widest publicity to every picturesque and impressive detail, and there can be little doubt that the idea of attempting to arrive at some agreed settlement, started by Lord Loreburn’s letter to The Times, was greatly stimulated by these fresh and convincing proofs of the grim determination of the Ulster people.