MILITARY MAPS

Evening Post, Volume CXXVI, Issue 150, 22 December 1938, Page 9

MILITARY MAPS

FOUND IN CONSULAR BAG

INFORMATION OF REBEL OFFENSIVE

MANY ARRESTS MADE

(By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright.) • LONDON, December 21. The Australian Associated Press says that the incriminating matter found in the British Consular bag by the Spanish nationalists at Irun is understood to be military information valuable to the Spanish Republican Government. It is also revealed lliat the Consular bag was so used for many months. The "Daily Teldgraph" says that the frontier authorities informed Mr. Goodman, the British Vice-Consul at San Sebastian, that they had reason to believe that an irregular packet was contained in the Consular bag. Mr. Goodman replied that it was most unlikely, but opened the bag for a search.

Apparently the matter was placed in the bag by a person with access to the Vice-Consulate. It is understood that it contained information of General Franco's forthcoming offensive on the Segre sector^ in Catalonia.

There have been many arrests in San Sebastiari in connection with the incident, including, it is reported, several officers of General Franco's General Staff.

(Received December 22, 10 a.m.)

LONDON, December 21,

It is understood that the package contained maps used by General Franco's General Staff.

The police express the opinion that a Spaniard at the British Consulate placed the plans in Mr. Goodman's bag. It is understood that they disclosed that General Franco was planning to throw half a million men into a final offensive. Already 200 persons have been arrested. They are being courtmartialled.