UNDER FIRE
SHIP | GERMAN NAVAL ACT I CSEW ARRESTED grave situation I AMBASSADOR'S REPORT By Telegraph—Press Association— Copyright (Received January 3, 5.5 p.m.) LONDON, Jan. 2 A message received yesterday from Santander, Northern Spain, stated that the Governor, Senor Ruiz Olazaran, had reported that the German cruiser Koenigsberg had fired several shots harmlessly at the Spanish steamer Soton in territorial waters. The warship then seized llie steamer and compelled the master to sign a document agreeing to navigate whatever course the commander of the Koenigberg dictated. The Soton ran aground and the members of'her crew landed under the Koenigsberg's guns. The situation was reported to the Spanish Government at Valencia. The Governor sent a wireless message to the commander of the Koenigsberg protesting against the alleged act of aggression and demanding the immediate release of the Soton's crew, who were taken prisoner contrary to international law. The German commander replied that the seizure uas a reprisal for the illegal detention of a passenger and part of the cargo on board the German freighter Palos a few days ago, and I added that the captain of the Soton did not obey his orders to stop. Senor de, Azcarate, Spanish Ambassador in London, called at the Foreign Office and delivered an official report regarding the Soton. This stated that the Koenigsberg fired two shells at the vessel, which it obliged to enter | Santona, a -port a few miles east of Santander, where it ran aground but later was refloated. The German cruisers Koenigsberg and Koln had arrived at Santona. The Ambassador pointed out the grave situation caused by the incident. He said that the Spanish Government, in [ order to savs the situation, had been obliged to instruct its Fleet to protect Spanish merchantmen with the maximum of efficiency and to fire on ships if they threatened to attack. SOTON'S DETENTION DEFIANCE OF GERMANS VESSEL RUN AGROUND I f (Received January 3, 5.5 p.m.) LONDON, Jan. 2 A message from Bayonne states that the Spanish version of the stopping of the Soton is as follows: The Koenigsberg's commander insisted that the Soton's second officer should go on board the cruiser and sign a declaration th it the stopping of the steamer was a reprisal for the detention of the German freighter Falos. The captain of the Soton was ordered | to change his course for a rebel port but the latter ran the vessel aground rather than obey. Thereupon the Koenigsberg fired until a Spanish Government aeroplane appeared and the cruiser hastily moved out to sea. The Spanish Government points out that the quickness of the Soton's grounding shows she was near the shore in Spanish territorial waters. ALARM IN FRANCE POSSIBLE DEVELOPMENT BLOCKADE OF THE COAST (Received January 3, 5.5 p.m.) PARIS, Jan. 2 The seizure of the Spanish vessel Soton in Spanish territorial waters has aroused indignation and apprehension | in France, which is wondering whether this violation of international law by Germany portends even more drastic action by that country. The opinion is gaining ground that if Germany refuses her co-operation in non-intervention in Spain the only way open to Britain and France will be to enforce a blockade of the Spanish coast with their combined Navies. The Spanish Ambassador in Paris commented: "This is an act of war. It is the most serious incident of its kind." He' denied that the Spanish Government had appealed to France to take action. The Embassy issued a statement declaring that the Koenigsberg's action constituted an act of war, also flagrant intervention against the Spanish Hepublic. 'therefore it was a violation both of international law and of the nonintervention agreement. The Spanish Government would reply as required to the first violation but the second was a matter for the Non-intervention Committee. The statement maintained that tad an indisputable right to capture and search the Palos. More°v'er, the confiscation of war material ln a civil war was justified according to precedents in the American Civil [War. NEW COMMANDER GERMAN NAVY'S CHIEF (Received January 5.5 p.m.) LONDON, Jan. 2 A message from Berlin states that Rear- Admiral Carls, the new com-mander-in-chief of the German Navy, took over the command at Kiel to-day, where he boarded the cruiser Koln *hile the Nuremberg fired a salute of 15 guns. It will be remembered that Admiral when loyalist warships held up Kamerun in August, warned the I'anish commanders that lie had °rdered his vessels forcibly to reply to act. Hie Berlin correspondent of the Manfester Guardian says the seizure of 6 Soton followed significantly upon "®&r-Admiral Carl's appointment*
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New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22617, 4 January 1937, Page 9
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758UNDER FIRE New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22617, 4 January 1937, Page 9
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