THE CHINA MAIL, FEBRUARY 16, 1937.
MANY BRITONS DIE IN FIGHTING ROUND MADRID
Heavy Casualties In International Brigade REBEL ATTACKS ARE
REPULSED
LISBON, TO-DAY.
NUMBERS OF BRITISHERS WERE AMONG THOSE KILL- ED IN THE RECENT DRIVES ON MADRID, ACCORDING TO AN INSURGENT OBSERVER WHO HAS ARRIVED AT LISBON. The observer stated that he saw piles of bodies, mostly of Bri tish, French, Belgian and Russian militiamen on the Madrid front.
Since the beginning of last week's offensive, he said, over 5,000 casualties have been suffered by the International Brigade defend- ing the capital.
He also asserts that an "enor-
mous quantity" of French biplanes town, which was in complete dark- have recently arrived. He claimed ness.
to have seen ten in an air battle Portbon, a Spanish frontier town over Vallecas yesterday.
in the possession of the loyalists, Meanwhile, says a Madrid mes-was bombarded from the air yester sage, a heavy insurgent attack day morning, according to reports was launched at dawn yesterday on from Perpignan. an extended front on the Jarama Bombs were dropped on military River sector, in which the attacking headquarters, the railway station troops lost over 1,000 killed, ac- and a section of the railway line.- cording to loyalist quarters.
DYNAMITE SQUADS
Reuter and Trans-Ocean.
THIRTY-FIVE.
General Franco's troops advanced BRITONS TAKEN
behind the protection of tanks,
which provided a heavy covering PRISONER
fire, but after a brief engagement, loyalist dynamite squads forced the rebels back. to their original posi- tioris.
At the same time rebel bombers raided the Government lines br were driven off by loyalist planes after an aerial battle.
BOMBING RAIDS
were
Salamanca, To-day- Thirty-five Englishmen among the prisoners taken by the insurgents on the Madrid
front, says a communique from rebel headquarters.
The Englishmen were members of the International Brigade defend- Madriding the capital. carried insurgent thrust on Madrid, Gener- out a bombing raid on the rebel al de Llano has broadcast the
A communique issued in states that loyalist planes
In spite of reported checks to the
positions at St. Martin de la Vega that the capital will soon aim
in order to disperse the troop concentrated there.
tirely surrounded.
Resistance by the loyalists,
More refugees are leaving Mad-stated, could not last more than rid, the latest including a batch of few days longer. sixty. comprised of various nation- alites, who evacuated the besieged capital yesterday.
en-
he
a
BRIDGE DESTROYED The refugees, who had been broadcast, which was made
General de Llano admitted in his ing in the British Embassy buildings, Seville, that the rebel offensive on from were travelling under the official the Jarama River front may be held protection of the British Consulate. up for two or three days owing to the necessity of reconstructing the bridge over the river
VALENCIA AGAIN SHELLED Valencia was again bombarded last night by a rebel cruiser, about thirty shells being fired into th
BALKAN STATES
CONFERENCE
Ministers Arrive At Athens
The bridge had been blown up by the loyalists in their hurried re treat
Scenes of rioting in Madrid. Serious disturbances have lately been re- ported from the capital, which have led to the placing of armed guards on all streets near Government offices.
King And Queen Move To Palace
London, To-day. The King and Queen official- ly took up their residence at Buckingham Palace last night.
The royal removal was made with the least possible cere- mony. Their Majesties will ‘oc- cupy the suite of apartments on the first floor formerly oc- cupied by King George and Queen Mary-Reuter.
FOREIGN DEBTS OF GERMANY
Negotiations Lead To No Result
PORTUGAL STILL OBDURATE
CONTROL PLAN DIFFICULTY
ACCEPTANCE NOW NEARER
London, To-day.
An agreement has at last been reached by the non-inter- vention committee, although Portugal is again proving an awkward factor.
The agreement, announced in an official communique, provides for two main provisions.
Firstly, the ban on volunteers should come into operation at mid- Berlin, To-day-night on February 20.
yesterday's standstill negotiations viding for a naval and land cordon No result was arrived at during Secondly, the control scheme pro- between Germany and her creditors to prevent entry of arms and vo- Adhering to their demands for lunteers into Spain and to report shortening of credit lines, the crebreaches of the agreement to the ditor Powers are basing their London committee, should, operate claims on the favourable state of from midnight on March 6 German foreign trade last year.
Germany's reply is that she still has a shortage of foreign exchange, and it is thought that the negotia tions will drag on till the end of the week
Dr. Hjalmar Schacht, President In Madrid, a Defence Council of the Reichsbank, entertained the broadcast claims that the rebel delegations at dinner last night.- troops were repulsed at San Benito,
Trans-Ocean.
in the Escorial sector.
PORTUGUESE OBJECTIONS
Portugal, while supporting the first provision, reserves her posi- tion regarding the second.
The meeting was notable for the co-operation of all the major Pow- ers and acceptance of the agree ment by the full meeting of the non-intervention committee is foregone conclusion.
The Government forces, says the The P. and O. ss. “Soudan" left broadcast, occupied in a counter-at-Singapore for this Port yesterday guese delegate is still without in- It is understood that the Portu- tack trenches nearly two miles from at noon and, is due here on the 19th structions from his Government. their original lines. Reuter.
instant at about 4 p.m.
Special Oath Agreed For
The
Coronation
Peuter.
LONG DISCUSSION
London, To-day. The special sub-committee set up last week under the international committee for the application of the agreement regarding non-inter- vention in the Spanish - civil met again late yesterday afternoon at the Foreign Office to consider the difficulties caused by ability of the Portuguese Govern-
Athens, To-day. The Foreign Ministers and dele- gates of Turkey, Rumania and Yu- go-Slavia, after receiving a warm welcome at the frontier and the stations en route, arrived at Athens yesterday for the conference of the
Cape Town, To-day Mr. Pirow stated that in addi- Balkan States.
One of the principal items on the minions have agreed on the form of the religious feelings of citizens Great Britain, and all the Do-tion to the Constitutional Oath the King would take an oath to satisfy agenda is the recent pact between Coronation Oath, which will be pub in South Africa and other parts of ment to accept the proposed scheme Bulgaria and Yugo-Slavia, of which lished shortly, declared the Minis- the Commonwealth. four States in the Balkar Entente ter of Defence, Mr. O. Pirow, in the have approved, indicating increas Assembly during the debate on the by an overwhelming majority.
The Bill passed its third reading ed co-operation throughout the Bal-Coronation Oath Bill kans. Reuter.
Reuter
for
establishing international supervision of the land frontiers Spain. The Committee was still session after four and half hours British Wireless.