THE WHITE FLAG.

FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT. DUBLIN, Friday.

At 3.45 this afternoon the insurgents, who for three months past have held the Four Courts, hoisted the white flag and surrendered.

A communiqué issued from the General Headquarters of the Free State forces shortly before three o’clock this morning announced that they had forced an entrance to the buildings, had taken thirty-three prisoners, together with arms and ammunition, and had forced the Irregulars into the rear, or eastern portion of the building. In these operations the Free State forces had three men killed and ten wounded.

During the morning and afternoon firing was continuous, the field guns playing regularly on the portion of the building held by the Irregulars.

Towards half-past twelve a terrific explosion was heard, ana houses were shaken by the force even at a distance of two miles from the centre of the City.

There rose immediately a cloud of thick black smoke, which hung above the Four Courts like a pall. All manner of débris and fragments of deeds became the playthings of the upper air. Valuable documents fell in suburban garden plots.

No sooner had the sound of the explosion died away than the Four Courts were seen to be in flames.

A call went out for all the ambulances that could be mustered in the city, and they hurried to the scene.

Rumours said that Mr. Rory O’connor’s men had exploded a mine, and that some twenty of the Free State forces had been killed. Other accounts attributed the explosion to a 60lb shell.

Shortly after three o’clock a good many of the wounded had been removed to hospital. The “Cease fire” sounded, and the prisoners began to issue from the Four Courts. They included Mr. Rory O’connor, Liam Mellowes, and the staff.

In other quarters of the city, however, sniping and ambushing and volley firing were continued. Mr. De Valera is said to be fighting in the streets.

An official communication issued after midnight states that the Four Courts explosion was caused by Irregulars exploding a mine in the basement of the central hall. A party of about fifty National troops were buried in the debris. They were all wounded or injured, thirty of them severely.