FINAL EFFORT

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVII, Issue 307, 26 November 1937, Page 7

FINAL EFFORT

ONSLAUGHT BEGUN. ATTEMPT AT CAPTURE. ATTACK ON MADRID. (United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph—Copyright.) Received November 26, 10.55 a.m. MADRID, Nov. 25. General Franco’s long-awaited onslaught in a final effort to capture the city is believed to have begun with furious over-night shelling, which was the most intense since the beginning of the war. It was obviously a desperate attempt to shake the position of the Republican troops and break the morale of tho remaining civilians. There have been no exact reports of tho casualties, but it is believed hundreds have been killed and wounded. There would have been greater havoc, but tho people mostly were at homo when the bombardment began, and took refuge in the cellars. The damage to property is reported to be enormous. Whole streets are ruined. A Government statement says the city’s batteries replied to the rebel bombardment. The Republicans anticipated the blowing-up of a rebel mine at University City, and fired a counter-mine wrecking a wing of the building. The insurgent advance parties wore repulsed on the. western outskirts and the southern sector. Barcelona reports heavy insurgent air raiding and bombing of rebel towns as a reprisal. RAKED BY SHELLS. FATE OFiviADRID. MANY KILLED. MADRID, Nov. 25. A violent bombardment of Madrid before midnight resulted in many being killed. Two thousand shells fell in one hour. Rebel guns, including nineinchers, systematically raked the city, starting from the north and'gradually working southward. STILL "UNDECIDED.

ATTITUDE TO NON-INTER-VENTION. LONDON, Nov. 24. - The diplomatic correspondent of The Times says the Foreign Office has received General Franco’s reply to the Non-Intervention Committee, accepting in principle the proposal for commissions to go to Spain to arrange withdrawals of volunteers, but containing reservation and requesting certain explanations. The Barcelona correspondent of The Times says the Government has not yet decided on its attitude toward the withdrawal of volunteers. It is surmised' it is not disposed to consider that the proposal for the withdrawal of volunteers who came from all parts of the world at their own free will should be on a par with that of troops drafted to fight under their own officers and flag among tho insurgents against the legally-constituted authority. SPANISH AGENT. (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, Nov. 25. The British Government has accepted the appointment of the Duke of Alba as General Franco’s chief agent in London.