BRITISH SHIP AT BILBAO

Press, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22073, 22 April 1937, Page 9

BRITISH SHIP AT BILBAO

Successful Attempt To Run Blockade CREW FETED IN PORT ESCORTED TO BERTH IN TRIUMPH './. • ■.,'■• (CKITBD PBMS ASSOCIATION—COPTBIOHT.) (Received April 21, 11 p.m.) BILBAO, April 20. Bilbao was en fete for the arrival of the British ship Seven. Seas Spray which successfully ran the blockade and berthed with 4000 tons of foodstuffs. ',■■'. Captain F. F. Roberts, who had his daughter on board with him, slipped out of St. Jean de Luz without informing the harbourmaster. He secretly assembled his crew at dusk. A.n engineer's -wife was also on board. In Bilbao, Captain Roberts, his daughter, and the crew were feted everywhere. Everything had been made ready for their arrival. - Coastal batteries were manned. Aeroplanes performed aerobatics, and destroyers and armed trawlers escorted the vessel to its berth in triumph, ignoring the rebel warships Espana and Cervera which lay 15 miles off the shore. * The militia presented arms as Captain Roberts proudly shouted through a megaphone "Make her fast as she lies, Mr Bosun." Describing his departure from St. Jean de Luz, Captain Roberts said an F class destroyer, (one of those relieving the B class flotilla) sent them a wireless message asking where they were bound. "We said 'Bilbao,' "Captain Roberts added. "The destroyer asked: 'On your own responsibility?' " Tfes,' we said. " 'Good luck,' the destroyer replied." "THE BLOCKADE IS TOMMY ROT" SHIPOWNER ADMITS ORDERING -'"■" '-;■■" ' "" ATTEMPT ,' LONDON, April 20. "We have shown that the blockade is tommy rot," said Mr A. J. Pope, of Porthcawl, owner of the Seven Seas Spray. "I wanted to prove that it is possible to get into Bilbao, so I asked the. master to make the attempt. I was certain that what the Basque Government told me was right." Mr J. Maxton, MP., and Mr Fenner Brockway were unable to take an option to purchase a steamer to send food to Spain, in accordance with their announced plan. : A food cargo has been bought and it will be shipped immediately another vessel can be obtained. • EFFECTIVENESS OF BLOCKADE DISCUSSION IN HOUSE OF COMMONS "BRITAIN WILL BE THE FIRST TO ACT" " ... . LONDON, April 20. In the House of Commons, replying to further Labour criticisms of the Government's attitude towards the Bilbao blockade, the First Lord of. the Admiralty (Sir Samuel Hoare) declared that the British Navy was strong enough to deal easily with both Spanish navies if Britain adopted a policy which meant pushing her ships into Spanish ports. He added: "We will follow the situation-closely, and if we decide I that the so-called blockade is no; longer effective, we will be the first to accept that state of affairs." ARMS DISPATCHED TO SPAIN IRAQI DIPLOMATS TO BE PROSECUTED ■ i . ■ (Received April 21, 10 p.m.) BAGDAD, April 20. The Prime ■ Minister (Hikmat Sulieman) has informed Parliament of the dismissal of the Iraqi Legation councillors at Berlin and Paris, namely, Abdul; Azis Al Mudhaffar and Musa Al Shabundar. They were dismissed for ~ dispatching arms without authority and in the name of the Iraqi Government to the loyalist and rebel governments respectively in Spain. "Both councillors will be • prosecuted after they return to Iraq.