BRITISH THREAT

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVI, Issue 200, 24 July 1936, Page 9

BRITISH THREAT

RETALIATORY ACTION. FOR RECENT BOMBINGS. MADRID NOW DESERTED. (United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph.—Copyright.) Received July 24, 9.40 a.m. MADRID, July 23. An unconfirmed report states that the Seville Cathedral has been destroyed by bombs. The Government have proclaimed a levee en masse, recalling the French revolution. Tens of thousands of volunteers are pouring out of Madrid to give battle to the rebels. A Paris cable says the correspondent of L’lntransigeant, flying over Madrid, described it as a deserted city. Four churches and a convent were ablaze. A message from Gibraltar says a number of the bombs which were dropped from tho Spanish aeroplanes when flying off Tarifa exploded near the British destroyer Wildswan, which returned the fire. It now appears that the Wildswan fired at the aeroplanes endangering the P. and O. liner Chitral.

Britain has made a protest against this indiscriminate bombing and threatens retaliatory action if it is continued.

Britain and Franco have jointly drawn Spain’s attention to possible difficulties if Tangier is used as a base for action by the Spanish fleet.

IN THE BALANCE,

THE NATION’S FUTURE. DECISIVE BATTLES TO COME. Received Julv 24, 12.5 p.m. LONDON, July 2J. A message from Madrid says that Spain, though in the balance, is swaying slightly in favour of the Government and still awaits the outcome of the battles which will decide its destiny. Ihe Government have entrusted the conduct of the campaign to Senor Pozas (Minister of the Interior), who reports a relief of the pressure from the northwards upon Madrid owing to the loyal forces dispersing the vanguards of the rebel columns advancing on the capital turn Avila, Segovia, and the Somo Sierra Pass, in Sierra De Guadarrama, adjacent to the Euitrago Heights. This, however, may be an indecisive skirmish, the main columns under General Mola, the report of whose death was incorrect, being on the road to Madrid from Segovia, Burgos, and Saragossa, in the north, supported by detachments under Antonio De Rivera, a son of the former Dictator. The victorious loyalist troops are pushing forward to Avila, north-west of Madrid, also to Segovia in order to intercept one of General Mola’s columns marching on the capital. BRITISH VISITORS. SAFETY BEING ASSURED. (British Official Wireless.) Received July 24, 11.26 a.m. RUGBY, July 23.

Additional measures for the safety of British visitors in view of the continued disturbed situation ill Spam are being taken. Reassurie- reports regarding the tourists have been received from a number of centres, while in other cases arrangements have been made tor the evacuation of British and other nationals.