TWO-WAY STORIES.

Wairarapa Age, 23 July 1936, Page 5

TWO-WAY STORIES.

POSITION IN SPAIN STILL UNCERTAIN. BOTH SIDES CLAIMING SUCCESSES. ARMOURED CARS PATROLLING MADRID. LONDON, July 21. Claims and counter-claims of victories and defeats continue to issue from Spain, but despite the Government’s assurances that it is rapidly gaining control the rebels gained important successes on Tuesday, and indications are that a big battle is looming. Rebels marching from Pamplona occupied San Sebastian after fierce fighting. Hospitals and nursing homes have been requisitioned, indicating heavy casualties. The rebels are now continuing to’ advance towards Bilbao. A large number of British tourists who arrived at Hendaye from San Sebastian stated, that the city was machine-gunned from the air. Another rebel army is reported to be threatening Madrid from Segovia, while others are aiming a blow at the capital from Saragossa. A large force of troops and armed peasants is advancing to Saragossa from Madrid, and a battle appears imminent on the mountain roads.

Armoured cars are still patrolling the streets of Madrid, and there is a general air of unrest, but otherwise life is normal and shops are open. Numbers of girls and women who have joined the hastily-formed militia in Madrid patrolled the streets with rifles and revolvers, and participated in the rounding up of rebels, a number being Billed or wounded.

DANGER OVER. ACCORDING TO GOVERNMENT BROADCAST. (Received Wednesday, 7.45 p.m.) MADRID, July 22. A Government broadcast in English to the British Empire and the United States states that the danger of a military dictatorship may be considered over. A Government communique states that it is estimated that five hundred were killed and three thousand wounded in fighting at Barcelona. The Communist newspaper “Mundo Obrero” says that 116 rebel officers and 200 of other ranks were found dead when the Montana Barracks were captured. The Spanish frontier guards at Hendaye joined the rebels. MISSION TO FRANCE. ARRIVAL OF AIR OFFICIALS FROM SPAIN. (Received Wednesday, 7.45 p.m.) PARS, July 22. Speculation has been aroused by the arrival at Le Bourget by air of two Spanish Air officials, armed with diplomatic passports. They are Commandant Velerta de la Quintana, Chief of the Spanish Civil Air Service, and Commandant Juan Y. Avolo. Their plane took off from Bordeaux.

AID DESIRED. AGAINST REBELS IN MOROCCO. (Received Wednesday, 7.45 p.m.) LONDON, July 22. The “News-Chronicle” says the officers -were the bearers of a request from the Spanish Government for French assistance against the Militarists in Morocco. The message followed an announcement from Madrid that the Loyalists fought two pitched battles against the rebels outside the capital yesterday, in which troops of the Bopular Front and armed citizens participated. It is claimed that the Government troops had successes, but the situation obviously is very grave.

REPORTS IN CONFLICT. MEASURES FOR THE SAFETY OF BRITONB.

~ RUGBY, July 21. Madrid Press telegrams to-night report an official Government declaration that the whole of Madrid and the surrounding areas have been cleared of rebels and are now in. the possession of tne Spanish Government forces. Conflicting reports from Government and insurgent sources during the day leave the general position obscure, but widespread disturbance prevails and measures for safety of British nationals are being supplemented where necessary. In addition to the British wars !ps now at Vigo, Malaga, and Tangier, H.M.B. Witch is proceeding to Fe " 01 and H.M.S. Wren to Corunim. ■ Admiralty announced this evening that the Rear-Admiral command- ! ag . T* cruiser squadron has been instructed to send one cruiser to Barcelona and one cruiser to Palma The cruiser Amphion, which sailed to-dav to join the Africa station, has been r l m ere f go ta Teneriffe.—(British Official Wireless.) WARSHIPS SHELL TOWNS. FURTHER BOMBARDMENTS INTENDED. LONDON, July 21. the rebels have maintained their hold in Spanish Morocco, but Government warships shelled Melilla and Ceuta. The resfilts are not known Twelve Government warships at Tangier, it is believed, intend to shell L £ CII » a . 8 a< 3iz as soon as the battleship Jamie I arrives.

The latest advices from Malaga are that several shops and hotels are on fire.

GIBRALTAR CROWDED. FOOD SUPPLIES OUT. n ., - LONDON, July 21. Gibraltar is so crowded with retugees from Spain that some of the rood supplies are giving out. The Government has given instructions that only British citizens or Spaniards working at Gibraltar will henceforth be admitted. Pathetic scenes have been witnessed on the neutral ground between Gib-

raltar and Lalinea which is crowded with women and children. The military authorities have placed barbed wire on the frontier and firemen are ready with hydrants to repel a rush by the Spaniards. Salvation Army and other volunteers will supply food to the refugees. Fighting is going on near the frontier and it is reported that 90 were killed at Lalinea on Tuesday. REBELS AT LA LINEA. MENACED BY CRUISERS. (Received Wednesday, 10.5 p.m.) GIBRALTAR, July 22. The Spanish cruisers Cervantes and Liberatad steamed into the Bay late yesterday and turned their searchlights on La Linea. It is believed that they intend to demand the surrender of the rebels in La Linea and Algeciras within a limited time. HMS Shamrock, which (brought refugees from Malaga, reports that the town is ablaze and that the principal street, called Larios, has been partly destroyed. BATTLESHIP AT TANGIER. INEFFECTIVELY BOMBED BY TLANES. (Received Wednesday, 10.0 p.m.) TANGIER, July 22. The Battleship Jaime Primeiro arrived and immediately bombed by four aeroplanes. The ship was not hit and replied with quick-firing guns. The British destroyer Whitehall shifted her berth hurriedly.