PORTUGUESE REVOLT.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 19558, 10 February 1927, Page 9

PORTUGUESE REVOLT.

CIVIL WARFARE RAGES.

OPORTO REBELS ROUTED.

EFFECTIVE BOMBARDMENT.

BRITAIN SENDS WABSHIPS.

PROTECTION. OF SUBJECTS.

By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright.

(Received Feb. 9, 7.30 p.m.) A. and N.Z. LONDON. Feb. 9.

The Madrid correspondent of the British United Press Association says the rebels at Oporto, Portugal, surrendered after a 16 hours' bombardment by Government forces. The British cruiser Comus left Gibraltar for Lisbon yesterday and the destroyers Windsor and Westminster are to go to Oporto to protect British interests.

A Portuguese air squadron stationed off the coast of the southern province of Algarve has revolted and is now proceeding to Lisbon in order to help the rebels. Messages via Paris from the Portuguese frontier make it clear that the revolt is spreading and .that the entire country is now in a ferment.

A genera! railway strike has been proclaimed. The sailors from the cruisers Vasco da Gama and Carval Hoaranja have mutinied and have occupied several quarters in .Lisbon, where fierce fighting is going on. • Violence of the Bombardment. Prior to the surrender of the rebels at Oporto the Government troops were using a large number of aeroplanes to bomb the insurgents' positions.

In spit« of the violent bombardment the insurgents held out for ' several hours. Most of the garrison joined them and they were reinforced in the teeth of heavy Government fire from the south bank of the River Douro.

Many civilians at Oporto were injured by machine-gun fire.

The insurgents demanded the abolition of General Carmona's dictatorship. The latter retorted by ordering the arrgst of 150 journalists and publicists in Lisbon who were alleged to be implicated in the revolution. Oporto Civilians Run Amok, • The Madrid correspondent of the Morning Post, writing last evening, said the Portuguese Government had decided in consequence of the attitude of the discontented railway employees to place the State lines under military control. The military were also guarding all the Government offices at Lisbon. The employees, excepting those at the War Ministry, had abandoned work. Further arrests of journalists had been made, including editors. Some employees of the Post and Telegraph Department had also been arrested for acclaiming the revolution. \ This correspondent said that contrary to official reports civilians did take part in the fighting at? Oporto. They threw hand bombs at the Government troops. Some appeared io run amok and to attempt to kill without discrimination.

Truly Terrible Street Scenes. , > ( The Consul for Uruguay proposed an armistice, but this was rejected by the Government. whose concentration of troops around Oporto continued. The rebels made every - effort to hold a bridge at Don Luis over the River Douro which connects Oporto with Gaia, but the fire of Government troops became more intense.

Travellers from Portugal to Spain say the situation at Oporto was extremely difficult for the Government. The scenes in the streets were described as truly terrible. Bitter encounters had occurred between the loyal and the rebel troops.

One cavalry squadron was entirely annihilated. The seriousness of the situation was aggravated by the strike of the employees of the southern and south-western railway.

Well-informed Madrid and Paris correspondents agree that the revolt is not directed toward a restoration of the monarchy in Portugal. On the contrary they say it is a great democratic movement, the most important since the flight of King Manoel on October 6, 1910. War Against Dictatorship.

The political parties in Portugal for sis years have been' fighting each other in an endeavour to secure power. There have been successive revolts and much bloodshed.

The most recent of these previous revolts brought .the leaders of the military caste into power The result was practically a dictatorial Government with General Carmona as President.

Against General Carmona's dictatorial policy all the Republican parties become united, and the army as a whole also is declared to be dissatisfied with the existing regime. The revolutionaries have issued a manifesto which says their aim is the restoration of the Republican Constitution. The signatories include prominent people, such as Senhors Alvaro da Castro, leader of the Republican Party. Norton da Mattos. formerly Ambassador to London, Alfonso da Costa, formerly leader of the Democrat Party and Portugal's representative on the League of Nations, and General Sousa Diaz. The latest news is that martial law is I in operation throughout the country. Dictator's Determined Stand.

The Daily Mail says an Englishman who resides at Vigo, and who has arrived in London from Oporto, tells of terrible scenes daring the bombardment, in which aeroplanes participated. The streets of the city were strewn with corpses. Many people were killed or wounded during the combats between the Government cavalry and the insurgents. The dictator, General Carmona is carrying on extensive aerial propaganda throughout the country. Aeroplanes are dropping proclamations declaring that the Government is sticking to its guns and is determined to triumph over the few discontented soldiers led by the well-known conspirator and rebel, General Diaz.

General Carmona says his dictatorship will continue until his successor is legally provided. He threatens to have put to death* citizens who support the rebels. The Government has suppressed three newspapers in Oporto and has imprisoned the editors.

Oolv the manufacture of dars bread is permitted. This is to prevent profiteering.