REBEL OFFENSIVE A FAILURE?

Press, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22388, 29 April 1938, Page 11

REBEL OFFENSIVE A FAILURE?

Republicans Claim Successes

ATTACK NOW DIVERTED TO VALENCIA

(UHItZD press ASSOCIATION—COPTRIOHT,) (Received April 28, 2 p.m.) LONDON, April 27. The Barcelona correspondent of the “Daily Telegraph” states that rebel machine-gunners, withholding their fire till the last moment, scattered a Loyalist cavalry attack between Teruel and Morelia. The Spanish Press Agency announces from Barcelona that the Loyalist divisions not only stemmed the rebel offensive, but took the initiative' in the Ebro, Secre, and Pyrenees sectors, 'inflicting heavy losses on the Italians when they attempted to counter-attack. Moreover* the Loyalist front remains intact between Teruel and Mont Alban, while the loss of Aliaga is denied. The Barcelona correspondent of the “Daily Telegraph” corroborates the report that the Loyalists are withstanding the rebels on the Levante front. The correspondent adds that the rebel offensive against Teruel is the result of General Franco’s realisation that the attempt to conquer Catalonia has failed, necessitating a prolongation of the warfare; He has, therefore, abandoned Barcelona as his objective, and is concentrating his drive on Valencia via Castellon del Apana. A message from Rome states that Dr. Gayda denies that Italy has sent a man, cannon,' or machine j gun to Spain for months. Six .insurgent warships, including the cruisers jCanarias and Almirante Cervera, accompanied by a strong > squadron of aeroplanes, shelled the Government positions north of Castellon. Three Government cruisers and a number of destroyers, summoned by radio, arrived /at dusk. The insurgent fleet was then already heading for Majorca. The Government vessels pursued them, but bad weather prevented an encounter.

AMERICAN EMBARGO ON ARMS

PRESIDENT ASkED'TO ALLOW REMOVAL

(Received April 28, 11.30 p.m.) WASHINGTON, April 27. A group of publicists and 15 members of the National Academy of Sciences presented a petition to Mr Roosevelt urging him to lift the embargo on the shipment of arms to the Spanish Government.’ Two Nobel Prize winners were among the petitioners. The State Department informed the petitioners that any embargo action depended on Congress. -

BRITISH EVACUATED FROM BARCELONA \

(Received April 28, 5.5 p.m.) BARCELONA, April 27. The cruiser London evacuated 30 Britons.