Letter from Alexander McDowell to Edward Carson, 20 July 1916 Letters 1916-1923 Alexander McDowell

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Letter from Alexander McDowell (1853-1918) to Edward Carson (1854-1935). Carson was a prominent Unionist politician. Originally a practicing solicitor from Dublin, Carson's opposition to the proposed third Home Rule bill made him the figure head of Unionism throughout the island. He was the centerpiece of the speaking tour that culminated in Ulster Day (28 September 1912), when just under half a million signed Ulster's solemn league and covenant pledging to use all means which may be found necessary to defeat the present conspiracy to set up a home rule parliament in Dublin. Carson inaugurated the Larne gunrunning in 1914 which armed the UVF, many of whom Carson would encourage to join the British Army throughout the First World War. Alexander McDowell, Esq., was the joint director of Ireland for the Ministry of Munitions.

 Public Record Office of Northern Ireland Carson Papers, D1507/A/18/1/26 https://letters1916.ie/item/1137 English Alexander McDowell 1916-07-20 51 Royal Avenue, Beflast, Co. Antrim, Ireland Edward Carson Industry and Public Administration Politics Politics

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 51 ROYAL AVENUE, BELFAST. 20th July 1916. Dear Sir Edward, There has been a good deal of underhand dirty work going on here for a very considerable time past in the shape of attempts being made by Unionists outside our district to create a feeling that would be prejudicial to the arrangement for the exclusion of the six Counties. I am glad to say, however, that the efforts have not been successful and I think the business people and our working people are more satisfied with the arrangement now after all the discussion that has taken place than they were when the matter was origianlly put before them. Amongst the Business community they have commenced to appreciate thoroughly the advantages to be gained from getting an arrangement now such as is proposed and they foresee pretty clearly the risks connected with a postponement to the termination of the war. Evidently what has happened vindicates thoroughly the course which you adopted and the advice which you gave and the underhand work which has been going on has to a very great extent removed the sympathy that formerly existed. Major Saunderson's action is reprobated, while that of the Monaghan people is adored and your treatment of the matter as appearing in the Press is as usual diplomatic and able. There has been a good deal of talk recently emanating principally from the South of retaliation on the part of the Southerners against the North for consenting to the exclusion and this takes the shape of something in the nature of a boycott through the Great Northern Railway. About two-fifths of the Co's line would be outside the excluded area, the three-fifths which is within the excluded district is the more important but the idea is that if the Dublin Parliament is to have control of the Railways within their district they could by legislation so block and obstruct operations on the Great Northern Line as to bring about what would practically be tantamount to a blockade of the North. There have been several private meetings of leading business men in relation to this matter and in the end I was asked to go across and see you with the view of putting the position before you to see if anything could be done in connection with the proposed Bill that would obviate any risk of the adoption of such a procedure. I do not know what is intended with regard to the Railways in Ireland generally. I have gathered from the Newspapers that so far as the Harbours are concerned they are to remain under Imperial control but the Harbours remaining under Imperial control will be of very little service if the Railways are not also kept under Imperial control for a Harbour without a Railway is practically of no service beyond shelter in bad weather. At the present all the Railways in Ireland are subject to the Board of Trade but the arrangement with regard to the Telegraph service is in Ireland different from what it is in England. In Ireland the Postmaster owns all the wires and posts along the railway and the Railway Coys. give him wayleave getting in exchange a free telegraph service and that would be one very good reason for the Imperial Government keeping the control at present of the railways as well as the Harbours. If an Irish Government got control of the railways and anything took place like what happened at Easter it is all very well to say under the Defence of the Realm Act the Government could take possession of the railways but the railways without those to work them could be of very little service and I think there can be no doubt if the Irish Government have control of the railways it will only be a question of time and that a very short one before all the servants on the railways would be practically nominees of one party. Of course if the Railways are excepted from the jurisdiction of the Irish Parliament and kept as they are subject to the Board of Trade the question of a boycott or retaliation from the south is out of the question. I wired you this morning to know if you could have seen me to-morrow or Saturday and it was to talk this matter over with you I wanted to see you but I got your wire that you would be out of town. I will be in London on Tuesday and if it would be convenient for you to see me then I would arrange to call on you at any time you appointed. Yours truly, Alex McDowell Sir Edward Carson, K. C. M. P. 5 Eaton Place, London S. W. Alexander McDowell Letter from Sir Matthew Nathan to Alexander McDowell, 3 November 1915Letter from Alexander McDowell to E. A. Aston, 17 March 1916Letter from the War Employments Inspector to Alexander McDowell, 22 March 1916Letter from Alexander McDowell to Edward Carson, 20 July 1916Letter from Alexander McDowell to Edward Carson, 5 October 1916 Edward Carson Letter from David Lloyd George to Edward Carson, 29 May 1916Letter from Sir Dawson Bates to Edward Carson, 2 December 1915Letter from William Robert Young to Edward Carson, 9 July 1916Letter from Alexander McDowell to Edward Carson, 20 July 1916Letter from Hugh de Fellenerg Montgomery to Edward Carson, 31 May 1916Letter from Hugh de Fellenberg Montgomery to Edward Carson, 9 June 1916Letter from Hugh de Fellenberg Montgomery to Edward Carson, 9 June 1916Letter from Frederick Hugh Crawford to Edward Carson, 8 March 1916Letter from Edward Carson to Thomas McGregor Greer, 12 July 1916Letter from Sir Edward Carson to Sir Robert Ponsonby Staples, 10 December 1915Letter to Edward Carson, 19 November 1915Letter from William R. Young to Edward Carson, 2 November 1915Letter from J.M. Wilson to Edward Carson, 3 November 1915Letter from Turner Oliver Read to Edward Carson, 12 November 1915Letter from William R. Young to Edward Carson, 12 November 1915Letter from Harold Tennant to Edward Carson, 17 November 1915Letter from Henry Mulholland to Pembroke Wicks, circa November 1915Letter from Wilfrid Spender to Edward Carson, 25 November 1915Letter Wilfrid Spender to Edward Carson, 3 December 1915Letter to Edward Carson, 4 December 1915Letter from Robert Thompson to Edward Carson, 18 December 1915Letter from W.T. Bailey to Edward Carson, 22 December 1915Letter from General Nevil Macready to Edward Carson, 1 May 1916Letter to Edward Carson, 2 May 1916Letter from Horace Plunkett to Edward Carson, 4 May 1916Postcard to Edward Carson, 4 May 1916Letter from D.P. Barton to Edward Carson, 5 May 1916Letter from Edward Carson to Herbert Asquith, 9 May 1916Letter from Herbert Asquith to Edward Carson, 10 May 1916Copy of a letter from John Crozier to Edward Carson, 9 May 1916Letter from J.M. Wilson to Edward Carson, 11 May 1916Letter to Edward Carson, 15 May 1916Letter from David Lloyd George to Edward Carson, 3 June 1916Letter from G.L. Moore to Edward Carson, 6 June 1916Letter from sir William Robert Robertson to Edward Carson, 7 June 1916Letter from Nevil Macready to Edward Carson, 8 June 1916Letter from Arthur Warren Samuels to Edward Carson, 14 June 1916Letter from Frederick Stringer Wrench to Edward Carson, 15 June 1916Letter from Somerset Francis Saunderson to Edward Carson, 15 June 1916Letter to Edward Carson, 17 June 1916Letter from Somerset Francis Saunderson to Edward Carson, 17 June 1916Letter from Charles Clements to Edward Carson, 21 June 1916Letter from Ronald McNeill to Edward Carson, 22 June 1916Letter from John Crozier to Edward Carson, 26 June 1916Letter from Charles F. Down to Edward Carson, 28 June 1916Letter from Charles Clements to Edward Carson, 29 June 1916Letter from Archibald Salvidge to Edward Carson, 30 June 1916Letter from Charles Clements to Edward Carson, 1 July 1916Letter from Charles Clements to Edward Carson, 3 July 1916Letter to Edward Carson, 5 July 1916Letter from Horace Plunkett to Edward Carson, 5 July 1916Letter from Charles F Down to Edward Carson, 8 June 1916Letter from Herbert Samuel to Edward Carson, 13 July 1916Letter from William Martin to Edward Carson, 13 July 1916Letter from Travers R. Blackley to Edward Carson, 11 July 1916Letter from Travers R. Blackley to Edward Carson, 13 July 1916Letter from Pembroke Wicks to Edward Carson, 14 July 1916Letter from Somerset Francis Saunderson to Edward Carson, 15 July 1916Letter from Edward Carson to William Martin, 17 July 1916Letter from Herbert Samuel to Edward Carson, 21 July 1916Letter to Edward Carson, 21 July 1916Letter from John Strachey to Edward Carson, 27 July 1916Letter from Alexander McDowell to Edward Carson, 5 October 1916Letter to Edward Carson, 7 October 1916Letter from Sharman D Neill to Edward Carson, 7 October 1916Letter from John Strachey to Edward Carson, 7 October 1916Letter from Rosalind Hamilton to Edward Carson, 10 October 1916Letter to Edward Carson, 14 October 1916Letter from David Lloyd George to Edward Carson, 14 October 1916Letter from J. Beatty to Edward Carson, 16 October 1916Letter from Edward Carson to Richard Dawson Bates, 21 April 1919 51 Royal Avenue, Beflast, Co. Antrim, Ireland Letter from Alexander McDowell to Edward Carson, 20 July 1916