SHIPS FOR SPAIN

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVII, Issue 127, 30 April 1937, Page 7

SHIPS FOR SPAIN

NOT BEING CONVOYED. BRITAIN’S DEFINITE POLICY. REPLY TO ALLEGATIONS. (United Press Association. —By Electric Telegraph.—Copyright.) (British Official AVireless.) Received April 30, 11.30 a.m. RUGBY, April 29. The British steamer Backworth, carrying a large consignment of foodstuffs presented by subscription to humanitarian organisations for the relief of the sufferers in the Spanish war, has reached Bilbao. The vessel had passed inspection under the nonintervention scheme. In regard to the oral protest made by General Franco’s envoy to the British Ambassador at Hendaye regarding the circumstances of entry of three British food ships into Bilbao on April 23, it is officially denied in London that these vessels were convoyed by the Hood, or that either the Hood or the destroyer Firedrake, both of which were in the area off Bilbao at the time, entered territorial waters.

The British Government has repeatedly stated that it has no intention whatever of instituting the convoy system for British ships entering Spanish ports, and it has further stated that the Firedrake merely indicated the position of the three-mile limit to the three British ships. No reply has been received front General Franco to the British protest against' the attempted interference with these British merchant ships on the high seas. The British Government policy on the issue involved remains unchanged. While the British Government is unable to advise British shipping to enter Bilbao, it is determined, whether that advice is followed or not, to protect British shipping on the high seas when such protection is required. This policy has been maintained impartially, and without discrimination, since the beginning of the Spanish civil war. Following representations by the Scandinavian Governments, the chairman’s committee of the Non-Inter-vention Committee will examine the suggestion that warships of the four Rowers —Britain, Franco, . Germany, and Italy—engaged in patrol duty off Spain in connection wit'll the nonintervention control scheme should protect from interference vessels proceeding to Spain with international observers on board. TO SAVE CHILDREN. REFUGE IN ENGLAND. GOVERNMENT MAY ASSIST. Received April 30, 12.35 p.m. LONDON, April 30. Sir John Simon, in a letter to Mr Wilfred Roberts, secretary of the National Joint Committee lor Spanish Relief, said tho Government was prepared to facilitate tho evacuation of a limited number of Basque children to England on condition that no charge on the public Binds would be made, also that eventually they would be repatriated to Spain. The committee is arranging to evacuate refugees to France and Belgium as well as England. TRAIL OF DEATH. General Alola’s troops are pressing on towards Bilbao, leaving a trail ot death and destruction. They have occupied the desolated city at Guernica, and have also encircled Durango, where they havo taken over a thousand prisoners. The Basques arc resisting desperately, dynamiting "bridges and roads in order to hinder their pursuers. However, the insurgents confidently declare they will occupy Bilbao on May 2, which is the anniversary of the Carlist 6iege iu 1874.

Bilbao was founded in 1300 under the name of Belvao (“fine fort”). It suffered severely in the wars with France, first in 1795 and again in 1808. During the Carlist struggles it stood up to two great sieges, ZnmaleaTreguy hero receiving Ins death wound in 1835, while in 1874 it was vainly besieged and bombarded by Don Carles for four months. DEPLORABLE EVENTS. REFERENCE IN THE LORDS. (British Official Wireless.) Received April 30, 11.30 a.in. RUGBY, April 29. Lord Plymouth repeated in the Houso of Lords, replying to a debate raised by Lord Cecil on the bombing of Guernica, the regret expressed in the House of Commons by the Foreign Secretary (Mr R. A. Eden) at the bombardment of the civilian population by aircraft engaged on both sides in the civil war in Spain. He also reiterated Mr Eden’s assurance of the desire of His Majesty’s Government to see an agreement between the combatants which would prevent a recurrence of such deplorable events. GERMAN AIRCRAFT. DESTRUCTION OF GUERNICA. JOURNALIST’S EXPERIENCE. LONDON, April 29. _ The Bilbao correspondent of tlfe Times says that General Franco’s denial of knowledge of the destruction of Guernica has not created astonishment at Bilbao, as the similar but less terrible bombing of Durango was denied by tbe insurgents. “In the presence of British eyewitnesses I have .spoken to hundreds of homeless and distressed. _ All give precisely the same description of the events. I have seen and measured enormous bombholes •at Guernica which, as I passed through the town the previous day, I can testify were not there before. Moreover, unexploded German aluminium incendiary bombs were found marked Bheinwori factory, 1936.’ The types of German aeroplanes were Junker heavy bombers, Heinkel medium bombs, and Hemkel chasers. I myself, when sheltering in a bomb hole, was machine-gun-ned by six returning chasers. According to statements by German pilots captured at Orchandiano at the beginning of the insurgent offensive in April, the German ’planes are manned entirely by German pilots. Nearly all the crews of the German ’planes left Germany in February.” A Paris message states that tSenor Anzar, Basque Minister of Commerce, declares: “We are now involved in a direct struggle with Germany for Bilbao’s steel factories and iron mines, of which Germany hopes to get possession without their destruction,

hence she is aiming at forcing evacuation.” The Loyalists arc retreating from Durango to prepared defences. They are showing greater steadiness than in the previous four days when their morale was shaky. The improvements is attributed to the effect on them on the destruction of Guernica. PETROL ON BUILDINGS. INSURGENT CLAIMS. Received April 30, 9.55 a.m. LONDON, April 29. A message from Hendaye says the insurgents assert that the destruction of Guernica was duo to Loyalists, before their evacuation, spraying petrol on the buildings of the principal neighbouring streets, which were chiefly of wood. Thus a few incendiary shells were sufficient to turn the town into an inferno. Mines also exploded. 'REFUGEES FROM -BILBAO. FUNDS FOR EVACUATION. LONDON, April 29. Despairing appeals to Britain and France to assist the refugees from Bilbao have quickly been answered. It was announced alter a private meeting of members of the House ot Commons that a nation-wide appeal for funds would be launched. It is hoped to begin the evacuation in two days. A spokesman said that the Foreign Office would fully approve. This is interpreted to mean that the Navy would assist. Senor Picavea, representative of the Basque Government in Paris, interviewed M. Delbos, (French Foreign Minister), after which he said there were enough ships at Bilbao to evacuate the refugees, who want France and Britain to protect the ships against the rebels. A St. Jean do Luz message states that, escorted by the- British destroyer Shropshire, four British cargo steamers, the Marvia, Thorpe Hajl, Sheffield and Portelet, left for Bilbao, and arrived safely, also the British food ship Backwortli. which was escorted to the three-mile limit by’ a British destroyer. The Morning Post says that the British Government has rejected General Franco’s protest against the action of the warships Hood and Firedrake in protecting the food ships MacGregor, Hamsterlev, and Stanbrook on their way to Bilbao, maintaining ’that the warship’s operations occurred outside the three-mile limit and were therefore quite legitimate. It refuses to recognise General Franco s claim that Spanish territorial waters extend six miles from the coast. . There will therefore be no change in British policy in relation to the blockade.