Madam, - Bertie Ahern in his speech at the White House mentioned that the presidential mansion was designed by the Irishman James Hoban and rebuilt by him after a fire in 1814. The Taoiseach might have mentioned that the fire which destroyed the White House and other public buildings in Washington DC was caused by a British military expedition; that expedition was commanded by Major General Robert Ross of Rostrevor, Co Down with, as his second-in-command, Colonel Arthur Brooke of Colebrooke, Co Fermanagh. - Yours, etc,
COLIN ARMSTRONG, Saintfield Road, Belfast.