BOMBS DROP NEAR BRITISH WARSHIP.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVIII, Issue 29, 4 February 1937, Page 7

BOMBS DROP NEAR BRITISH WARSHIP.

SPANISH 'PLANE. Royal Oak Captain Reports To Admiralty. ASSAILANT UNIDENTIFIED. United I'rcss Association.—Copyright. (Received 10.30 a.m.) LONDON, February 3. The captain of the battleship Royal Oak reported to the Admiralty that a Spanish 'piano dropped three bombs near his vessel off Cartagena on Tuesday. Britain is expected to lodge a protest but is awaiting a further report in order to be satisfied whether it was an insurgent or a Government 'plane. It is reported at Gibraltar that the 'plane belonged to the insurgents. A Madrid dispatch says the Royal Oak incident apparently occurred in the course of great activity by both the Government and the rebel forces on the south coast of Spain. A Government 'plane bombed the rebel cruiser Canarias and latif scored numerous hits on a concentration of rebel motor lorries at Marbclla. Rebel seaplanes attempted to bomb the Spanish merchantman Dclfin, aground following a submarine attack, but Government 'planes drove them off. Rebel cruisers bombarded the coast near Malaga and returned to Algeciras accompanied by the German battleship Admiral Graf Spec

It is believed that a fresh contingent of Italians has landed at Cadiz.

COMMAND IN SPAIN. SOVIET GENERAL RESIGNS. MADRID, February 3. General Klcbcr, a Russian, has resigned the command of the International Brigade "owing to political differences with the Spanish Government." According to * fcllow-oflicer, however, he was forced to resign because he boasted too much about the brigade saving Madrid. The general has declined the command of the Malaga sector and is reported to be anxious to return to Moscow. A German, Commandant Hans, has taken over the command of the brigade.

DIPLOMAT MURDERED. QUESTION OF INDEMNITY. (Received 11 a.m.) LONDON, February 3. The 5 Spanish Government has informed Belgium of its willingness to deposit 1.000,000 francs as indemnity to the family of Baron de Borchgrave, who was murdered in December while acting as secretary to the Belgian Embassy in Madrid, but demands reference of the case to the Hague Court. The Norwegian Charge d'Affaires at Valencia has lodged a compensation claim for £20,000 for damages through the shcllng of the steamer Gulnes, whereby four sailors were killed.