AEROPLANES FOE SPAIN

Press, Volume LXXII, Issue 21863, 17 August 1936, Page 9

AEROPLANES FOE SPAIN

REPORTED DESTINATION OF BRITISH CRAFT THREE MORE MACHINE® LEAVE CROYDON (DKITBD PEBM ABSOOIATIOIi^COPT# I^®'1^ (Received August 16, 9.10 pm.) LONDON, August 15. Three more de Havilland Dragons left Croydon, according to report, for Barcelona. British Airways has issued a statement saying tha it sold Fokker machines to a Polish firm in good faith, taking the precaution to secure a written statement that they were destined tor commercial purposes. F o *?? 1 inn not responsible for their diversion to Abater message from Biarritz states that two Fokker tn-motor aeroplanes flew over the city. - wards Spain. One developed engine trouble, .tried to land at the aerodrome, crashed and caught fire, in occupants, believed to number » were incinerated. , The machine is believed to be one of four which left Gatwick aerodrome, ostensibly for Poland. The British United Press says the phot was a Pole. . .. rp hfi An earlier message stated, w* British authorities are j urgentl vestigating the possibility of pre venting civil aircraft leaving ior Spain, as happened yesterday when the French authorities impounded a British de Havilland machine which was destined for the rebels. Though it may. be possible to disallow their departure by air, it may not be practicable to forbid their shipment by steamers. , The aircraft in possession oi tue rebels are increasing in number, and air activity is growing. The air correspondent of the “News-Chronicle” says that more than 30 aeroplanes have left mysteriously for Spain from Britain in the last three weeks. Some have been sold to the loyalists and some to the rebels. Ail are civil machines, not affected by the ban, but they can be converted for military purposes. INCREASED ANXIETY CIVIL AIRCRAFT BOUND FOR SPAIN 1 (BRITISH OTEICI*L WlBllfBas.) RUGBY. August 14. The anxiety in London about the delay in the negotiations for nonintervention in the Spanish conflict is increased by the news that within the last few days aircraft from certain European countries have arrived in Spain, or are on the way to that country. It became known last night that six civil aeroplanes, of which two were British and bound for Spain, left English airports during the day. In the absence of an agreement the pilots of these machines are acting within their legal rights, and although the British Government has agreed in principle to include civil aircraft in the proposed ban on supplies to Spain, the pilots’ position is difficult to determine, and at present is engaging the close attention of the authorities here. The Government has powers to prohibit by order-in-council the export of war material and any articles capable of being converted into naval or military stores, and powers to extend to the prevention of the export of aircraft; but this, does not apply to the flying of individual aeroplanes to destinations abroad. Official power, no doubt, would suffice to arrest such traffic once a nonintervention pact wus accepted, and the whole question of making such an agreement effective is being closely studied. BRITISH SUBJECTS SAFE ANXIETY FOR MINE WORKERS (Received August 16, 11.35 p.m.) GIBRALTAR, August 15. All the Rio Tinto inhabitants are safe at Huelva. A wireless message stated earlier: .—lnformation has reached London about the difficulties in the evacuation of British subjects employed in the Rio Tinto mines in Spain. Huelva, the port of departure, is in the area at present contolled by the rebel forces, and the mines are in the area where resistance to the insurgents continues. Arrangements for the withdrawal of the British members of the staff have therefore to be made with the two sides. The insurgents raised no difficulties, about the passage of the refugees for embarkation on a British destroyer at Huelva, but the local miners* committee has objected to their departure. It is only a depleted British staff which remains at the mines, which have not been working for some time. Ten days ago, on the advice of an executive of the company in London, about 100 British employees left for England. The number remaining, whose evacuation is now in question, is stated to be 38. Latest advice received by the London office is to the effect that the British employees are well and safe, and are on good terms with the Spanish workers, A few days ago they were offered safe conduct from the mines, but they decided to stay on.’ The reason for the change in the attitude of the local miners’ committee is not known. The British Govern lent, through the British Consul in Madrid and the Spanish Ambassador in London, h:.s asked that instructions should be sent to the local representatives of the Spanish Government to facilitate the withdrawal of the British employees. The British Co isul at Huelva is also continuing his efforts to secure their departure and safe passage.