STILL AFLOAT

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

STILL AFLOAT

THE MAR CANTABRICO

SURVIVOR'S STORY

LONDON, March 10.

Elaborate precautions taken fdr the safe arrival of the Spanish motorvessel Mar Cantabrico were defeated by still more remarkable secret service organisation under General Franco's control, combined with the stupidity of the Loyalist authorities at Santander. These, for an undisclosed reason, refrained from signalling the steamer that she could enter the lurbour, resulting in her aimlessly cruising about outside and eventually becoming the victim of the Canarias. The Mar Cantabrico, far from having sunk in flames, is still afloat with the fire extinguished,' and is being escorted to Fehrol, a rebel port in northwest Spain. The Canarias had exact information of the Mar Cantabrico's movements, and was apprised of her disguising herself by "way of camouflage-as the Newcastle steamer Adda. The final elements of the mystery were cleared up when Pablo Juan 800, one of the Mar Cantabrico's crew, arrived at Arcachon. after being picked up by a French trawler. 800 told how the vessel arrived off Santander on Monday, but was denied entry for 12 hours, when the Canarias hove _.in sight and began a bombardment which lasted for four hours. This gave a bad list to the Mar Cantabrico, and caused a fire in a hold. : _ "The rebels boarded us and took on the passengers, and then things began to happen," 800 stated. "No quarter was given. The rebels pursued the crew to all i corners of the ship and shot them down. An Italian and I hid and by a miracle were not discovered. -I shall never forget the sharp bark of the revolvers. Each shot meant that another of my comrades had been hurled into eternity. Finally, the Italian and I jumped overboard. The rebels fired at us in the water. The Italian was no swimmer, and slipped from my grasp and disappeared. I had given up hope when ■ I was hauled aboard by French fishermen.','