CANARIAS TORPEDOED

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVIII, Issue 83, 7 March 1938, Page 7

CANARIAS TORPEDOED

REBEL BATTLESHIP. NATIONALIST SUCCESS. BATTLE OF CARTAGENA. (United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph.—Copyright.) Received March 7, 9.10 a.m. BARCELONA, March 0. The Republican Navy gave battle in tho early hours of this morning, to the Balearcs, the Cannrias, and the Almirante Cervera, 70 miles off Cape Palos, off the Cartagena coast. A torpedo from the Government destroyer Lapanto hit the Canarias, which was second in the line of battle, and sot iior on fire after a great explosion. Seven Government bombers later sighted her surrounded by seven other vessels. Tho bombers proceeded to attack the Canarias which appeared to be sinking. . The Ministry of Defence wirelessed all foreign ships possibly near the Canarias that there was danger approaching in view of tho possibility of further attacks against the Canarias or against the Nationalist ’planes, which might attempt to protect her. A message from Madrid states that the other insurgent units aro doing their utmost to save the crew and prevent the Canarias from sinking. The Canarias was built to carry 765 officers and men. The Ministry of Defence is congratulating the bombers, who flew over the scene at daybreak, and says that some bombs fell close to the burning ship. No further details arc available. It is reported from London that while the British destroyers Boreas and Kempenfelt were rescuing the survivors a bomb from a Loyalist ’plane attacking the rebel ships killed one and wounded three of the personnel of the Boreas.