SPANISH REBELS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23219, 17 June 1937, Page 9

SPANISH REBELS

THE ADVANCE ON BILBAO STEMMED IN TWO PLACES BRITISH CONSUL LEAVES (United Press Association) (By Electric Telegraph—Copyright) BILBAO, June 15. The Basques stemmed the rebel advance at Galdacano and the suburb of Begona. The British Consul, Mr Stevenson, and Cable Engineer Rawlings, after signalling from the beach at Algorta with a hand lamp during the small hours, attracted the attention of the destroyer Kempenfelt. Rawlings Morse-signalled her through the dangerous channel, enabling her to lower a boat. A sentry spotted the manoeuvre, and machine-gun bullets whipped the sea as Mr Stevenson and Rawlings went aboard. They were transferred from the Kempenfelt to the battleship Resolution, which landed them at Hendaye. NO NEWS FROM BILBAO LONDON, June 15. Slowly but surely General Franco is securing a stranglehold on Bilbao. Not a scrap of news has come today direct from Bilbao. All communications are apparently cut, but the French Consul, who arrived at St. Jean de Luz, said Bilbao was virtually surrounded by insurgents and the plight of the population was becoming graver every hour. Public services were disorganised. APPEAL TO GENERAL FRANCO LONDON, June 15. Mr Eden has sent the Basque Government’s appeal to the Ambassador, Sir Henry Chilton, at Hendaye, asking him to tell General Fjanco that Britain hopes he' will not destroy Bilbao before it is evacuated. SECURITY FOR NAVAL PATROL LONDON,'June 15. Britain has despatched to both Spanish parties a quadrilateral Note 'from England, France, Italy and Germany regarding naval patrol. Britain will protect refugees from Bilbao if confined to women, children and aged hostages. A SPECIFIC ASSURANCE (British Official Wireless) RUGBY, June 15. The quadrilateral agreement sent to the two parties in Spain asks for a specific assurance from the two parties in the conflict that they will respect foreign warships on the high seas and elsewhere, and also that they should come to an agreement with the four Powers upon a list of Spanish ports to be made available for use as bases of their patrol ships, and upon definite safety zones which should be established in those ports. The two parties will also be inforrhed that any infraction of assurances or any attack on foreign wafships for naval patrol will be regarded by the four Powers as a matter of common concern, and, irrespective of any immediate measures for self-defence considered necessary by the forces of the Power actually attacked, will immediately seek agreement -among themselves concerning the steps to be taken in con- 1 cert, taking into consideration the views which the Government concerned is naturally entitled to express as to further appropriate measures. LOYALIST ADMISSION THE REBELS BREAK THROUGH LONDON, June 16. (Received June 16, at 9 p.m.) Insurgent planes dropped thousands of leaflets over Bilbao signed by General Franco and saying: “ If you persist, death and destruction await you. Those who surrender their arms will be unharmed provided they have not committed crimes.” The radio station at Durengo warned the Basques to avoid the streets and not be tempted to make a general exodus to the west which would inevitably lead to panic and carnage.

A Salamanca report claims that cut of 8000 Basques cut off by General Valido’s forces, 6000 surrendered.

A Spanish Government communication issued from Valencia admits that the enemy has broken through a belt of fortifications and succeeded in occupying a number of hills along the right bank of the Hiver Nervion.

An unconfirmed report from Bayonne says that fighting has broken out between the Communist and the less extreme elements, who have been trying to prevent the Communists from setting fire to the city before evacuation. MINESWEEPERS ON PATROL LONDON, June 16. (Received June 17, at 0.15 a.m.) The British Admiralty announced that, in order to rest the personnel of the destroyers of the Mediterranean Fleet engaged in non-inter-vention patrol duty on the south and east coasts of Spain, the Ist Minesweeping Flotilla will take a turn of a month’s duty from July 12. EVACUATION OF REFUGEES 1 (British Official Wireless) RUGBY, June 14. (Received June 16, at 5.5 p.m.) A statement on the present situation in Bilbao was made by Mr Eden in the House of Commons. He said that while the reports were inevitably fragmentary and indefinite, he understood that the Basque Government was still directing the defence from Bilbao. The evacuation of refugees continued, and on Sunday the Habena left Bilbao with over 4400 refugees and proceeded under British naval protection to a French port.