PORTUGUESE REVOLT.

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 18920, 8 February 1927, Page 9

PORTUGUESE REVOLT.

FIERCE FIGHTING IN OPORTO. A FOUR DAYS' BATTLE. (IT CABU— nttl ASSOCIATION—COPTBIOHT.) (AUSTRALIAN AND N.B. CABLB AS3OCIATIOR.) LISBON, February 6. Many rebels were killed arid hundreds wounded at Oporto in a battle which has continued since Friday. The rebels were entrenched in a. square in the heart of the town, equipped with machine-guns. The buildings have beeu badly damaged and manv civilian--wounded. Thus far the Government troops, have ondeavoured to spare the but the latest report states that the Minister for War has rejected the rebels offer to surrender conditionally, and has called upon the population to evacuate the city, a.s a goneral bombardment is impending. The residents are pessimistic, not believing thai tho Government hns« gained the nppe>hand. OPORTO BEING SHELLED. (BT CABLB-PRESS ASSOCIATION— COPTBIOHT.) (AUSTRALIAN AKD S.Z. CABLE ASSOCIATION.) (Received February 7th, 6.50 p.m.) LONDON, February 7. The latest news from Oporto states that the bombardment of the city has commenced, shells falling upon the revolutionaries entrenched in the Place Batalha. [Previous mossages stated that a military rovolt had broken out in Portugal and that the rebels had seized Oporto. The situation elsewhere is reported to be in hand, the majority of the troops remaining loyal.]

BRITISH APPEAL FOR PROTECTION. REBEL GOVERNMENT SET UP. (Stdket "Son" Servicb.) (Received February 7th, 8.45 p.m.) LONDON, February fi. The Lisbon correspondent of the "Daily Mail" says British merchants are requesting their Ambassador to secure tho presence of a British warship to protect their interests in Oporto. Thus far only slight damago has been done. Tho Lisbon correspondent of tho "Daily News" says 6000 loyalist troops occupying the strategic points around Oporto have opened fire on tho rebels with artillery and machine-guns, concentrating tneir fire on the Place de Batalha, the city's great open square, which the rebels nave fortified stro»gly. Many houses are reported to bo destroyed. The* rebel positions were also attacked with hand grenades. The crack of rifles and machine-guns was to be heard throughout the night. The Minister tor Commerce, who was ejtptured by the r*bels, escaped and joined the loynlists. A strike on the State railways has increased the difficulties.

The insurgents havo apnointed a Government, headed by a military surgeon, Dr. Moraes.