SPANISH STRIFE

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVII, Issue 101, 31 March 1937, Page 9

SPANISH STRIFE

BITTER FIGHTING CONTINUES. FOREIGN TROOPS OPERATING. VISIT BY BRITISH PARTY. (United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph—Copyright.) Received March 31, 8.5 a.m. LONDON, March 30. Nine members of a British delegation headed by tlie Dean of Canterbury have left London to investigate the religious conditions in Spain, despite the British Government refusing visas in accordance with their policy of discouraging visits to Spain for propagandist purposes. Although the party have been invited by the Spanish Government, the Foreign Office insists that visas are only granted for professional or vital personal business. Madrid reports that the Government forces entered Alcaracejos after bitter fighting in the outlying streets, in which tanks and aeroplanes co-oper-ated. About 10.000 Italians and some Germans are reported to be operating on the Pozoblanco front. VISAS ISSUED. Received March 31. 11.30 a.in. PARIS, March 30. 'l’lie British Embassy has issued visas for Spain, but not Spanish Morocco, to every member of the British Church delegation. REBEL FLEET ACTIVE. BOMBARDMENT IN BALEARICS. SUPREMACY CLAIMED. Received March 31. 9.50 a.m. VALENCIA, March 30. After many months’ idleness, in which it has been overhauled and reconstructed, tlie republican fleet has assumed the offensive. Besides shelling Malaga, Motril, and Melilla on March 27, the fleet bombarded the port and military buildings at Iviza, in the Balearic Islands, where great damage is to he observed. The fleet also shelled the fortifications, seaplane base, and radio station at Puerto de Soller, in the Balearic Isles. The Admiralty states: We now hold the supremacy of the sea as well as the air, and our crews are all Spanish, including the officers. The Government have the battleship Jaime I, the cruisers Libertad and Cervantes, each of 9385 tons, the Mendez and Nunez (6140 tons), and seventeen destroyers. INTENSE BOMBARDMENT. BARRACKS BLOWN UP. Received March 31, 11.35 a.m. GIBRALTAR, March 30. Rebel aircraft supporting the cruisers Balcares, Canadas, and Alinirante Cervera carried out an intense bombardment on Castellon and Valencia, where they blew up the barracks, inflicting heavy losses nl troops, and destroyed two munition factories. Later the rebels made contact with portion of the Loyalist fleet, which avoided an engagement. STOPPING OF VESSELS. BRITISH PROTEST. Received March 31, 9.50 a.m. LONDON, March 30. The British Naval Commandcr-in-jCliief in the Mediterranean has protested against the insurgent navy’s treatment of British merchant ships. He has demanded an explanation of the stoppage of two of them, with an assurance against a repetition. NEEDLESS DELAYS. OCCASIONED TO SHIPPING. (British Official Wireless.) Received March 31, 11.19 a.m. RUGBY, March 30. A protest lias been addressed by tho British naval authorities to the Spanish insurgent naval command regarding three eases of interference with British shipping contrary to international law and to the assurances given by General Franco’s naval representatives. The ships concerned are: hirst, the Menin Ridge, which a week ago was ordered to heave to and had a shot fired across her bows by a Spanish trawler five miles from Alniina Point while on a voyage from Barry to Oran; second, tho Stanholm, which on the same day was, when outside territorial waters, ordered to heave to and was later escorted to Gibraltar by a Spanish warship; and, third, the Springwear, which oil representations from insurgent quarters that she was carrying war material was diverted into Gibraltar, and suffered 12 days’ delay while her hold was cleared with the result that the allegations were proved unfounded. Tho case of the Stanholm called particularly for a protest, because as a result of charges by the Algeeiras authorities that she was intending to load war material at Casablanca her loading was supervised by tlie British Consul, the Inspector of Customs, and Lloyds’ agent. It was established that only general cargo was taken on board, and tlie findings of these investigations were communicated to the Algeeiras naval authorities, hut despite this the Stanholm was brought into Gibraltar where, on further examination, her papers and cargo proved to lie in order and she suffered a delay of 24 hours in consequence. MUTINOUS TROOPS. AMONG REBEL FORCES. AUTHORITIES ALARMED. LONDON, March 30. The Daily Herald states that in addition to the Tetunn revolt, mutinies have occurred among the forces of the rebel commander-in-chief (General Franco) at Lalin and Algeeiras, in South Spain. All were suppressed and executions followed, but the increase of such occurrences is alarming the rebel authorities. General Franco placed Italian officers in charge of the Lalin forces after the revolt. The riflemen refused to continue fighting without pay, but the Moorish troops quelled them. The rebellious troops at Algeeiras wore soldiers of an Italian regiment from Pavia. SPANISH LABORATORY. FOR TESTING WAR WEAPONS. GERMAN OBSERVATIONS.

LONDON, March 00. The Manchester Guardian’s diplo-

matic correspondent says: As a result of a close study of the Spanish conflict, German military experts have reverted to an exceedingly low opinion of tho Italian army. Germany regards the campaign as “an experimental laboratory for testing modern weapons and methods.”

The experts have concluded, firstly, that German anti-aircraft artillery is altogether satisfactory; secondly, that German ’planes have not stood the tests so well, although opinions are divided as to whether it is the pilots or machines which are inferior to the Russia a; thirdly, German light tanks are very serviceable but inadequate for attacking strongly-fortified positions; fourthly, that the German fleet is disappointing. “FRANCO WILL WIN.” . FRENCH MILITARY HEAD URGES PARLEYS. COMING FLOOD OF REFUGEES. That the Spanish civil war will soon bo ended, with General Franco as victor, is the publicly-stated belief of Andre Beaugitte, one-time vicepresident of the Army Commission. In an article in Le Matin, he assorts that General Franco is disposed towards good relations with France. He asks that it should, in the interests of France, and especially in view of border difficulties, immediately begin conversations with the military chief of the new Spain. “It is not enough for the French representative at General Franco’s headquarters to play the part of a polite observer,” he says. “It is not a question of throwing ourselves into the arms of the conqueror, but of seeking security for France by negotiations which would define the measures we must take on the frontier for the security of our territory.” M. Beaugitte forecasts a possible panic flight acros sthe frontier by the armed but overthrown Spanish Government forces. If the frontier is open the vanquished forces might swarm into France, and neither Customs officers nor frontier guards could stop the oncoming flood. “It is the duty of the French Government to liar and bolt the frontier,” he concludes.