SUPERVISION PLAN

Evening Post, Volume CXXIII, Issue 59, 11 March 1937, Page 9

SUPERVISION PLAN

THE NAVY'S DUTIES

FACILITIES BY PORTUGAL

(British Official Wireless.) (Received March 11, 1 p.m.)

RUGBY, March 10.

The subject of Spain and non-inter-vention was before the House of Commons at question time. The Foreign Secretary stated that British ships would be responsible under the control scheme for the supervision of the northern coast of Spain from the French frontier to Cape Busto, and for the southern coast from the Portuguese frontier, to Cape de Gata, but' despite this very considerable additional commitment for his Majesty's ships in Spanish waters the British naval authorities would take steps to keep in touch . with his Majesty's diplomatic and consular representatives at Valencia, Barcelona, and Palma.

Mr. Eden also .gave details of facilities which the Portuguese Government was giving to the British observers of the Portuguese-Spanish frontier under the arrangement between the British and Portuguese Governments. The duties of the British observers would be to note the nature of goods and the number and nationality of travellers crossing the frontier and to report to the Ambassador at Lisbon. They would be' at liberty to ask for information from the local authorities, including statements of the clearances or passage of cargo and passengers, and to request competent Portuguese authorities to take such steps as might be possible to verify or disprove fears that breaches of the agreement were being or were about to be committed. Observation would be carried out on the frontier, and the officers, who would be stationed at the * frontier crossings, in particular at railway stations, and on major and secondary' roads, would be in. a position to establish all facts necessary for proper observation of the application of the Non-intervention Agreement. Answering another question Mr. Eden stated that the British Ambassador at Hendaye had been instructed to protest to the insurgent authorities at Salamanca against interference with British property on the high seas in the case of two Spanish vessels carrying British-owned cargoes of iron ore which had been intercepted by insurgent warships. The Ambassador was to ask for the release of the cargoes and to .state that his Majesty's Government reserved the right, if necessary, to claim damages.