BOUND FOR HONDURAS

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 22572, 27 February 1948, Page 5

BOUND FOR HONDURAS

BRITISH CRUISER’S SUDDEN DASH THREAT FROM GAUTEMALANS EXTREMISTS MAY ATTEMPT LANDING (N.Z.P. A.—Reuter —Copyright.) (11.30 a.m.) LONDON, Feb. 26. The British 10,000 ton cruiser Sheffield left Cartagena, Colombia, at short notice yesterday for Belsize, capital of British Honduras, to meet the threat of Guatemalan extremist elements who might attempt to land in British Honduras, Central America, says the Foreign Office.

The Sheffield was scheduled to sail late Thursday but orders were received from the Admiralty in London to sail immediately. Admiral William Tennant, commander of the Sheffield, had to fly back from Bogota where he had gone.to visit the President, Senor Mariano Ospina Perez. The Foreign Office spokesman said that Britain did not suspect the Guatemalan Government itself of preparing an expedition It was feared, howevei, that the anti-British campaign in Guatemala strongly backing Ihe Argentine and Chilean claims against Britain in Antarctica would foster the extremist elements. The spokesman said that, as in the case of the Antarctic problem, Britain proposed that the International Court of Justice should settle the dispute which went back more than half u century. Guatemala had made unacceptable counter proposals about the form of considerations which the court would be asked to judge and the matter remained indecisive. Guatemala is involved in a territorial dispute with Britain over British Honduras which Guatemala ceded to Britain by treaty in 1858. Guatemala has denounced this treaty, claiming that Britain has not lived up to the compensatory provisions. Reuter’s correspondent in Santiago says that Colombia informed Chile tonight that it is completely in agreement with Chile's claim in Antarctica. The United Press correspondent in Buenos Aires says that unconfirmed reports circulated yesterday that Argentina is_ ready to take advantage of British willingness to seek a preliminary agreement with her and Chile mi their Antarctic claims. While official circles maintained silence about Mr. Ernest Bevin’s statement of policy, high sources indicated the possibility of an agreement oy which Argentina would take over the Falkland Islands after paying Britain an indemnity for buildings and other installations It was said that Britain would be al lowed to retain two armed bases in the Falklands similar to those held by the United States in the British Caribbean Liessessions.