STATE OF DEADLOCK

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 79, Issue 180, 31 July 1936, Page 7

STATE OF DEADLOCK

LOYALIST LINES BOMBED GENERAL FRANCO’S PLANS LONDON, July 29. The day in Spain has been devoid of decisive activities, but full of preparations for the resumption on a large scale of hostilities. The prin- l cipai engagement was astride the Guadarrama Range, where rebel artillery and loyalist aeroplanes partici- ' pated in a thunderous conflict, v Though hundreds were Killed on each 1 side the opposing forces remain in a f state of deadlock. The loyalists are t estimated to number 50,000 and the < rebels 40,000. t General Mola’s aeroplanes, aug- 1 mented by three triple-engined I bombers from Seville, flew over the t loyalist entrenchments and bombed the line of the Government troops’ I advance between Madrid and Bui- ; trago in order to prevent reinforce- < ments reaching the battlefront. < The Catalonian loyalist expedition- c ary force destined for Saragossa has ; advanced its line, but a general as- i sault awaits completion of the at- t tackers’ dispositions. "If all goes well Seville will be the t headquarters of the general staff of i the insurgent forces,” declares Gen- £ eral Franco, who has returned to Tetuan after consultation with Gen- ; eral de Llano, who, broadcasting from r Seville, claims that aeroplanes sent to Malaga destroyed several Govern- r ment machines there. t General Franco adds that the Riffs | are anxious to assist the invaders by f forming their own regiments under . his officers. He requests the British ] authorities at Gibraltar to keep clear £ of Spanish Government warships in straits in order to avoid damage during attack by his aircraft. Twenty three-engined Junkers and twenty Caproni bombers and transport ’planes are expected next week in order to convey Moorish sharpshooters and foreign legionaires across the straits. Throughout the day activity prevailed among troop-carrying aeroplanes between Morocco and Algeciras. ' Submarine C 3 was" sunk when , bombed by rebel aeroplanes, but C 4 , was able to proceed to Tangier for , repairs. ; General Franco has protested to the International Committee of Control against the use of Tangier, which , is an international port, by Govern- , ment craft, which make It the headquarters for harrying rebel shipping in the straits. The committee has ac- , cordingly constituted a commission, composed of commandants of foreign naval units in the harbour to control the port, also to police the danger , zone. Prince Ca-’oc. brother-in-law of the 1 Prince of ■'. ”ias. has left Cannes for Burpo- -A ’n—ing the departure of the Pri'of Asturias’ aide-de-camp, Vicomte de Rocamara, a week ago. Seville wireless reports that the seaport of Huelva, whose loyalist inhabitants were hastily preparing ■ bombs to repel an expected attack, was taken by insurgents, who entered the Government offices and secured many prisoners and munitions. They released Fascists from the gaol.