SPANISH FRONTIERS

Evening Star, Issue 22593, 10 March 1937, Page 9

SPANISH FRONTIERS

OBSERVATION BY LAND AND SEA NON-INTERVENTION COMMITTEE APPROVES SCHEME WORK FOR EUROPE'S NAVIES (British Official Wireless.) Press Association —By Telegraph —Copyright RUGBY, March 8. The International Non-intervention Committee approved the scheme for observation of the Spanish frontiers by land and sea to ensure application of the non-intervention agreement. The International Board to administer the scheme will have power to decide all administrative questions, but must submit questions of principle to the International Committee on the Franco-Spanish ■ and Gibraltar-Spanish frontiers. International staff observers will be stationed at railway and road crossings, while part of the staff will be equipped on a mobile basis. Observer's,' who will work in close collaboration with local authorities, will be organised under the administrators in the zones. Ships flying flags of participating countries will be controlled under a system which the operating naval Powers have undertaken to put in force on March 13. When proceeding to Spain or Spanish possessions ships will be required to embark observing officers, who will satisfy themselves that neither war materials nor volunteers are unloaded. Control will be reinforced by a system of naval observation to bo undertaken in the respective zones allocated to them by the navies of Britain, France, Germany, and Italy. FEARS ALLAYED NO BRITISH VESSEL IN'TROUBLE. LONDON, March 8. The vessel which was earlier reported as having been bombarded and on fire in the Bay of Biscay has now been identified as the Spanish motor vessel Marcantabrico, which is laden with arms for the Spanish Government. It slipped out from New York on January 6, just in time to beat the United States Neutrality Act. The fears that she was a British vessel, which were roused by early messages, were allayed shortly before midnight by a British Admiralty announcement that a report had been received from the destroyer Echo: “ Have been in communication with the cruiser Canarias, which states that the Marcantabrico was sunk. Her crew is aboard the Canaria's.” While destroyers and many other vessels hurried to the scene, conflicting messages from French and Spanish sources throughout the evening deepened the fear that a British liner had been the victim of a rebel cruiser. The confusion apparently arose from the mutilation of SOS messages. The Marcantabrico was owned by a Bilbao company. FIERCE FIGHTING REPORTED CLAIMS AND COUNTER-CLAIMS. LONDON, March 9. (Received March 10, at noon.) There are indications that the insurgents are renewing their attacks on Madxid in three sectors, and are reported to be meeting with considerable success. A fierce battle is progressing in the Upper Guadalajara sector, where the rebels claim to have taken 15 miles of territory. Madrid admits that the enemy attacked heavily with 30 tanks and massed artillery, but claims that the Government forces stood firm and later launched a counter-attack. Fighting ns also progressing on the Siguenza front. General de Llano, broadcasting from Seville, claims that several columns, advancing on that front, captured a number of places, including Almadrones, Alaminos, Castejon, Dehenares, and Mirabueno. He adds that the Government forces, including the international brigade, fled, leaving 50 dead. The insurgents captured many prisoners. BRITISH SHIP IMPERSONATED WIRELESS CALL TO DESTROYERS. BORDEAUX, March 9. (Received March 10, at 11.45 a.m.) The maritime authorities, in an official statement regarding the sinking of the Marcantabrico, say the vessel impersonated a British ship. It flew a Spanish flag at the stern and a British flag at the bows and boro the name Adda, Newcastle, plainly marked. When the Canarias approached the Marcantabrico sent out the Adda’s wireless call drawing British destroyers in the belief that a British ship was attacked. The Marcantabrico was never on fire. When the destroyers arrived the firing stopped, and the Canarias made off. WAR MATERIAL BEING REMOVED FROM MADRID GIBRALTAR, March 9. (Received March 10, at 11 a.m.) Deserters from the Government ranks declare, that largo quantities of war material are being removed from the capital to prevent their falling into the hands of rebels. FRENCH STEAMER TO BE SUNK. BARCELONA, March 9. (Received March 10, at 2 p.m.) The, Catalan authorities have ordered the sinking of the French steamer Mario Theresa Lo Borgne, which recently grounded after striking a mine.