A
THE CHINA MAIL, JANUARY 26,-1939.
BARCELONA NOW UNDER DIRECT SHELLFIRE
Lerida, To-day.
The Nationalist forces are now within sight of Barcelona and the city is
under direct artillery fire.
Manresa has been completely surrounded, and the advance continues with
great rapidity on all sectors.
Nationalist troops are now massing all along the west bank of the Llobre-
gat River from Manresa to the coast.
The Nationalist High Command told Reuter yes-
terday: "The last lines of the enemy defences BRITISH HOME
"J
along the Llobregat River crumpled complete- ly under this morning's advance.' With the capture of Gava, Manresa and Martorell, General Franco holds the line of the Llobregat River from the sea to a point some 35 miles inland.
FLEET AT GIBRALTAR
London, To-day.
Manresa is on one of the two railways from Barce-
lona to the French frontier, and its capture The British North Sea fleet,
"JAPAN FACING DESTRUCTION"
Copenhagen, To-day. The Swedish archaelogist. Johan Andersson, who worked for many years in China, pro- phesied yesterday that a mili- tary dictatorship would be
established in Japan within four months and there would be open revolution within eight months.
He added that Japan was facing destruction if China holds out. Reuter.
means cutting of the valuable Republican under the leadership of the flag: BRITISH WARSHIPS
"lifeline.'
FALL OF MANRESA
|ship, H.M.S. Nelson, has arrived in
According to official statements, the fleet is only there to take part in the usual Spring manoeuvres.
No special significance is to be attached to the appearance of the fleet in Gibraltar.
STANDING BY
London, To-day.
The cruiser H.M.S. Devonshire and the destroyer H.M.S. Grey- hound are standing by to evacuate Britons from Barcelona.
A
General Franco's Moroccan Senor del Vayo, who has been Gibraltar. forces have crossed Barcelona's visiting the French capital, has aerodrome and have reached a left for Barcelona. Reuter, point a mile from Barcelona's suburbs along the coast road.
Bilbao, To-day. Batteries are pounding the Manresa fell during the day, state port. Two thousand prisoners reports received here last night but
It is not yet known whether were taken up to midday yester- not yet confirmed. These reports,
any British subjects or the diplo- day.
sent by newspaper correspondents
matic staff have left. Reuter. In naval circles it is, however, Nationalist headquarters claim on the Catalan front, assert that that Barcelona's last line of de- the attack on the town was made pointed out that the fact that both under certain circumstances, have fence has crumpled irreparably, concentrically so that the
France and England have assem- considerable political significance Repub- and thousands of retreating Re-lican troops were left with nothing in the western Mediterranean in and the fact that the Spanish con- bled unusually strong naval forces in view of Franco-Italian tension publicans are reporting to be sur- but the road to Tarrasa that lies the neighbourhood of the Straits flict has now reached a decisive rendering.
midway between Barcelona and From Perpignan it is reported Manresa..
of Gibraltar might ⠀⠀ nevertheless, phase,.. Trans-Ocean. that the Diplomatic Corps are Nationalist troops are reported to withdrawing from Barcelona and have made a great number of pri- Caldetas to Figueras, on the fron-soners and continued to advance im- tier.
TELEPHONE CALL ÷ The British Consul-General, Mr. Rogers, is remaining provisionally in Barcelona as is part of the French Embassy.
A call from Perpignan to Bar- celona at 7.80 last night was answered with complete posure.
RETREAT INTO CITY:
com-
mediately.
According to these reports, the Nationalist troops are at the mo- ment in full pursuit of the Repub- licans who are fleeing towards Tar- rasa. Trans-Ocean.
BARCELONA COMMUNIQUE Barcelona, To-day. The heroic resistance of the Re- publican forces is causing the With Nationalist artillery shell-enemy severe losses, although due ing Barcelona, the Republicans to the unusual weight of metal, the last night were retreating into the Nationalists compelled the Re Catalan capital, according to Na-publicans to rectify their positions, tionalist H.Q.
it is declared in a bulletin issued by The Nationalist armies are now the Ministry of National Defence. nearing the southern and western Nationalist planes, bombed Bar- suburbs, while another force is celona several times yesterday caus- carrying out an enveloping move-ing a considerable number of casual- ment 20 miles north of the city. ties among the civilian population.
The battle for Manresa was one Two French steamers lying of the fiercest of the whole war, Valencia harbour were damaged by and the defenders had orders to bombs dropped by Nationalist fight to the death.
planes, Trans-Ocean."
The Nationalist artillery fired 80 shells a minute.
The fall of Manresa spelt Bar- celona's doom, according to Na-
tionalist strategists..
MILITARY MISSION LEAVES BARCELONA
on
It is reported that President Azana has arrived in Madrid, and if the Republican Government fol- lows suit, the end of Barcelona
Perpignan, To-day.. may be a matter of two days only. The international military mle
CRUISER LEAVES
sion which the League of Na despatch from Toulon says tions sent to Barcelona at the re- that the French cruiser "Suffren" queat of the Republican Government has left for Barcelona, where it to supervise the withdrawal of the will probably be at the disposal of foreign volunteers, have arrived in the French Ambassador.
| Perpignan. with all their records.
Ocean.
A cable from Paris says that The Commission will continue the... Spanish...... · Foreign Minister, work here.
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