SAFETY OF PATROL SHIPS

Press, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22121, 17 June 1937, Page 13

SAFETY OF PATROL SHIPS

POWERS* NOTE SENT TO SPAIN SPECIFIC ASSURANCES SOUGHT FROM PARTIES LONDON, June 15. Britain has dispatched to both the Spanish parties a quadrilateral note from Britain, France, Italy, and Germany, about the safety of naval patrol ships. The agreement asks for a specific assurance by the two parties in the conflict that they will respect foreign warships on the high seas and elsewhere. It also requests that they should come to an agreement with the four Powers upon a list of Spanish ports to be made available for use as the bases of their patrol ships, and upon definite safety zones which should be established in those ports. The two parties are to be informed that any infraction of the assurances or any attack on foreign warships for the naval patrol will be regarded by the four Powers as a matter of common concern. Irrespective of any immediate measures of self-defence considered necessary by the forces of the Power actually attacked, they will immediately seek an agreement among themselves concerning the steps to be taken in concert, taking into consideration the views which the Government concerned is naturally entitled to exprers as to the further appropriate measures.

BRITISH DESTROYERS RELIEVED MINESWEEPERS TAKE TURN AT PATROL DUTY (Received June 16, 11.30 p.m.) LONDON, June 16. The British Admiralty has announced that to rest the personnel of the destroyers of the Mediterranean Fleet engaged in non-inter-vention patrol duty on the south and east coasts of Spain, the First x Minesweeping Flotilla will take a turn of one month's duty from July j 1Z