Sir, - There is clearly more to the dispute between the two distinguished authors Angus Mitchell and Roger Sawyer than a mere intellectual difference about the authenticity of the Casement diaries. Indeed, readers of the Letters page are now being treated to an academic altercation about the validity of various footnotes.
May I offer my own contribution to this debate? On page 207 of Mr Mitchell's book The Amazon Journal of Roger Casement there appears footnote number 159 which asserts that Casement was arrested after disembarking from a German vessel carrying 20,000 rifles for the Easter Rising.
This seems from the context of the footnote to be a very considered assertion. It is, of course wrong, as I am sure Mr Mitchell will concede, for the rifles were carried by a different vessel, the Aud, which was scuppered by its crew at the entrance to Cobh harbour. Casement himself landed in Ireland from a German submarine which was not carrying such a cargo.
There can only be three explanations for such a monstrous error. Firstly, Mr Mitchell is not as familiar with the full story as he should be - somewhat unlikely. Secondly, it is a proof-reading error, but such a major error as to make this equally unlikely. Thirdly, there remains the possibility that the copy of Mr Michell's book that I have is, in fact, a British forgery . . . - Yours, etc.,
From John McGuiggan
(barrister at law), The Four Courts, Dublin 7.