1938-12-29 — Page 7

THE CHINA MAIL, DECEMBER 29, 1988.

FRANCO

CLAIMS

COMMUNIQUE BIG ADVANCES

Republican Army Corps Wiped Out At Seros

Wedges Driven Deeply Into Loyalist Lines

Burgos, To-day.

The Nationalist offensive in Catalonia has hitherto resulted in Nationalist occupation of 400 square miles of territory, and the capture of 7,500 pri- soners, hundreds of tons of material and thirty- nine aeroplanes.

The Republicans are reported to be now moving up battalion after battalion to fill the gaps in their ranks.

-UNEMPLOYED

LIST CLIMBS

...

IN AMERICA

New York, To-day.

The number of unemployed in- the United States in November totalled 9,211,000, compared with 9,095,000 in October and 7,751,- 000 last year, according to figures issued by the National Industrial Conference Board. Reuter.

NEW MILITARY

APPOINTMENTS

....

London, To-day.

BRITISH REVENUE RISE REVEALED

+

London, To-day. Exchequer returns show that total ordinary revenue amounts to £482,459,985, ́ compared with £469,812,653 at the correspond- ing date last year.

Income tax at £95,704,000 has yielded nearly $10,000,000 more than at this time last year.

The National Defence Contribu- tion, budgetted to give £20,000,000 in the whole financial year, stands at £13,010,000.

Total expenditure less selfbalanc- ing items is £724,957,297, compared Military appointments approved with £687,361,814 at the correspond-.. In the Seros zone the Nation- Whereas at the beginning of the by the King and announced lasting date in 1937-British Wireless. alists estimate that a Republican offensive the troops in the south army corps must have been prac-advanced with greater speed, those tically wiped out.

in the north have now caught up Two triangular wedges which with them and balance has been the Nationalists thrust into the restored on the front. Republican defences in Western Catalonia are being driven deeper. daily.

MANY PRISONERS

night by the War Office include] Colonel F. K. Simmons from Gen- eral Staff Officer, First Grade, Bri-Guernsey, with effect from June 5, tish forces in Palestine and Trans- 1939, and Lieutenant-Colonel J. T. Jordan, temporary to be Com-Leslie, Royal Berkshire Regiment, mander, Shanghai Area, British to be Commander of the Canal troops in China, with the tempor- Brigade, British troops in Egypt,

Already the road arteries feeding The growing number of prisoners, ary rank of Brigadier, vice Maj-Gen. with temporary rank of Brigadier, the Republicans' main defences at which are estimated at eight thou-A. F. D. Telfer-Smollett, who is vice Colonel W. T. Brooks, whose Seodeurgel and before the towns of sand and the amount of war materi- being appointed Lieutenant-Gov-tenure expires on October 14, 1939.

ernor and Commanding Troops-British Wireless. Lerida and Balaguer, are danger-al captured, provides convincing

evidence of ously threatened.

the efficiency and With good weather and easier thoroughness with which the troops country, the Nationalist forces driv-are operating.

with

ing in the southern wedge,

During yesterday's fighting the Seros Fayon as their base, have Nationalist artillery had to increase 'certain hitherto made very quick progress, its range four times at but the advance here has somewhat points. Cavalry are also playing slowed down at the foot of the an important role in the present hills bordering the north of Tarra- gona province.

GRANADELLA ENTERED

operations, and is being used most effectively for charging enemy posi- tions.

Observers are surprised at the The Nationalist forces entered the success attending the Nationalist outskirts of the town of Granadella | operations in the northern sector, at midday yesterday.

where fighting in the mountainous The northern Nationalist wedge, country is accompanied by bad wea- with its base between Tremp and ther and countless difficulties. the confluence of the Noguera and The fact that such towns as Ma- Segre rivers, is progressing, some-zana, Ajos de Balaguer, Santa Maria { 'what.slowly owing to the mountain- de Meya have been captured, in- ous country and temperatures as dicates that the important Repub- low as ten degrees below zero, but lican stronghold in the Montsech the capture, at the point of the bayo- Mountains has fallen and that the net, of Cap de la Sierra, near troops are in rapid retreat. Benavente de Lerida, an important road junction, enabled an advance between. Tremp and Balaguer. Reuter.

SLIGHT RESISTANCE

Bilbao, To-day.

Prevailing impression is that the

republicans are offering only slight

resistance to the troops advancing on Tarragona, loss of

which is

Next important objective is

the junction town of Artesa de Segre.— Trans-Ocean.

REPUBLICAN VERSION

While

London, To-day.

claims

General Franco

considered unimportant, but are that the "victorious advance" of concentrating their forces near the Nationalist forces continued in Borjas Blancas, in order to prevent Catalonia yesterday, the Repub- an advance on Barcelona. ..

licans' report that the push has now begun to "mark time."

Elite troops of the Lister and Campesino Brigades are fighting on Except for small territorial gains this front, and are supported by on the south flank, the Nationalist massed artillery and. numerous attacks have been held in check, tanks.

states a Spanish Government re-

+

The province of Saragossa is now port. completely free of Republicans, it A communique Issued in Burgos is stated. Each objective set forth claims that the Nationalists con- In the Nationalist plans the lines tinued to advance yesterday morn- their resistance is not as great asing. in every actor. the Nationalist leaders had counted The commun que says that the position is most favourable. The upon.

Pressure on each flank of the enemy, it claims, has been com- Catalan battle front is increasing pletely routed and a very large daily and the advance of the Na-number of prisoners and an enorm- tionalist columns in the north and ous quantity of war material cap- south is becoming more rapid. tured. Router.

SHE LEADS THE WAY,- Miss Helen Stack, a' cousin of Pru- nella who recently married Lord David, Douglas-Hawllton, is loader of a health and beauty fitness class in Kensington. Photo shows Miss Helen Stack making striking leap during a demonstration to her class which meets twice a week in Harrington Road, Kensington,