SANTA MARIA HUNT

Press, Volume C, Issue 29435, 10 February 1961, Page 13

SANTA MARIA HUNT

U.K. Ship i6 Was Out Of Fuel”

(Rec 9 p.m.) LONDON, February 9.

The British Defence Minister, Mr Harold Watkinson. denied today that the commander of a Royal Navy frigate had used the "Nelson touch” by turning a blind eye to the seized liner Santa Maria. The allegation was made in the House of Commons by the deputy leader of the Labour Opposition, Mr George Brown, who said the tactic had given the British Government time to get its policy right The frigate Rothesay gave up the chase of the liner, which had been captured by Portuguese rebels, because of a reported fuel shortage

Mr Watkinson told Mr Brown: "I think what you are saying is that this was a diplomatic running out of fuel I am happy to assure that it was an actual and very practical running out.” Mr Watkinson refused to Investigate what Mr George Chetwynd (Labour) called the inadequacy of British defence arrangements in the Caribbean area He claimed the inadequacy had been proved by the weakner' of British detection methods as revealed in the search for the Santa Marta Mr Watkinson denied there was any inadequacy “The ocean is a very big place.” he said “The commanding officer of the British frigate would have needed second or third sight to ascertain that when he was quite justifiably in need of refuelling, the Santa Maria was about to sail."

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