PROTESTS FROM BERLIN

Southland Times, Issue 23183, 26 April 1937, Page 5

PROTESTS FROM BERLIN

BRITISH ACTION OFF BILBAO SHIPS PROTECTED ON HIGH SEAS REBEL FAILURE TO STOP MERCHANTMEN (United Press Assn.—Telegraph Copyright) (Received April 25, 8.20 p.m.) LONDON, April 25. The German newspapers are vehemently attacking Britain for permitting her warships to protect ships running the Spanish blockade of Bilbao, which they assert is tantamount to intervention in the civil war, says a message from Berlin. Acting as spokesman for himself, Captain Prance, Captain Still and Captain Masters, the three seamen whose ships ran the rebel blockade of Bilbao, Captain John (“Corncob”) Jones said: “We kept a course 10 miles from the coast from St. Jean de Luz (France) to Bilbao. We reached Le Queito, where we met ' two British destroyers which followed us as far as territorial waters Two rebel armed trawlers began trailing us, and at daybreak the Almirante Cervera fired a blank shell and ordered us to follow a course away from Bilbao. “I sent a wireless stating the situation, after which we sighted two Spanish Government warships, the Vizcaya and the Guipuzcoa, inside territorial waters. We saw coastal batteries open fire on the rebel armed trawler Galerna. The British destroyers which had been guarding us turned back Six miles from the entrance to Bilbao we changed our course to the harbour, the Almirante Cervera sheering oft.” The St- Jean de Luz correspondent of The Times says that it was an armed trawler which fired across the blockade runners’ bows, but the presence of H.M.S. Hood prevented molestation by the Almirante Cervera. The British official account from the Embassy at Hendaye says that a rebel armed trawler and a cruiser stopped a British merchant ship outside territorial waters, upon which the rebel warships were requested to stop interfering with British ships in extra-territorial waters. The rebel cruiser claimed jurisdiction six miles from the coast. Three-Mile Limit Vice-Admiral Geoffery Blake, Commanding the Battle Cruiser Squadron, replied that Britain did not recognize the claim beyond three miles. The merchant ships proceeded but were stopped by a trawler which fired across the bows of the one which led the convtfy, the MacGregor. The Hood repeated its warning, and the loyalist batteries opened fire. The trawler then withdrew and the merchantmen proceeded. Among conflicting reports of the blockade running is one that an insurgent cruiser fired at one of the British ships outside the three-mile limit and that H.M.S. Hood and the destroyer Firedrake signalled, telling the cruiser not to interfere with British shipping. A report from Bilbao states that immediately the food ships entered territorial waters the Government warships Vizcaya and Guipuzcoa escorted them and three rebel warships steamed away as the shore batteries dropped shells a few feet short. The Basque Foreign Minister declared: “The entry of three ships proves that Bilbao is free from mines. The fact that the rebel warships which were present, intending to impede the entry of ships, failed proves that they are incapable of an effective blockade.” “Potato"’ Jones Again The Marie Llewellyn has arrived on her way to Alicante. The master (Captain “Potato” Jones) visited the naval authorities at St. Jean de Luz. The British steamers Sheaffield 'and Marvin arrived with wheat, oranges and flour for Bilbao. The Marvin belongs to the same owners as the Thorpe Hall. The Backworth, with a cargo of assorted foods and clothing, is expected to sail at noon today. The French cargo steamer Dairiguerme has arrived at Santander with foodstuffs. Two British food ships, the Stresso and the Thurston, sailed out from La Pallice, three miles west of La Rochelle, bound for Bilbao. They will not have the protection of the Hood because the battleship has gone to Britain for participation in the Coronation review and will be replaced by the Royal Oak. The Shropshire has sailed from La Pallice, probably for Spain. The Basque Premier (Senor de Aquierre) says: “The Fascists’ pretence of a blockade crashed with the arrival of the British food ships. Moreover, the insurgents’ offensive of 24 days against Durango is breaking down, and the Government hopes to see daylight shortly.” Insurgent warships claim to have captured within northern Spanish territorial waters an unnamed ship carrying 22 aeroplanes and 30,000 uniforms for the use of the Spanish Government troops. An insurgent submarine claims to have sunk a Government merchantman near Malaga and to have run another ashore. A rebel gunboat chased the Seven Seas’ Sound (a sister ship to the Seven Seas’ Spray, the first ship to run the blockade), in to Gibraltar harbour. The captain of the Seven Seas’ Sound denies that the insurgents chased him. He says he was only asked his destination, which he gave.

CHANGE IN CONTROL OF MADRID

CAPITAL AGAIN HEAVILY BOMBARDED (Received April 25, 7.5 p.m.) LONDON, April 24. The Madrid correspondent of the British United Press reports that the Defence Junta which came into being when Senor Francisco Largo Caballero’s Government went to Valencia has been dissolved, and civil authority will in future be exercised by a new city council which is being formed and in which all parties and organizations will be represented. General Miaja will henceforth act solely as military commander on the central fronts.

The loyalists claim that a patrol penetrated "7 miles of insurgent territory and mined a high viaduct, which blew up when a train was passing over. The train was destroyed and rail communication was cut between Terual and Saragossa. Fifteen persons were killed and 50 were injured as a result of the 12th consecutive day’s bombardment of

Madrid. Heavy calibre shells fell in the main streets. It is reported from Bilbao that after Government aeroplanes had kept five rebel air attacks at bay a sixth killed 10 men and wounded 30 before the air defence brought down two or three of the attackers. The rebels have resumed their land offensive, occupied several villages and relieved the hunger of 1500 starving inmates of the Santa Agueda lunatic asylum. A message from. Valencia says that the luggage of the Chilean Ambassador was searched as he left Spain and that securities, the export of which is prohibited, were discovered. The Government states that though the Embassy was the centre of espionage the Ambassador had been shown every consideration.