ROLE OF MAJORCA

Evening Post, Volume CXXV, Issue 21, 26 January 1938, Page 9

ROLE OF MAJORCA

LOYALISTS HARRIED

ATTACKS ON THEIR REAR

The entire Spanish Nationalist (insurgent) fleet has been concentrating in Mediterranean waters since the,- fall of Gijon released it from duly in the Atlantic, and the blockade of the epublican coast of Spain from Molril to the Franco-Catalan frontier is to begin in'earnest, writes, a correspondent of the "New York Times" from PaJma, Majorca. Majorca will be the main base of operations for the blockading forces. To Admiral .Moreno has been given the command ■of the land, sea, and air forces of the island. '

Majorca and the ports of Spanish Morocco are the only footholds in tho Mediterranean that the Nationalists have held since the beginning of the war. Command of Ceuta and Melilla, and later of Malaga, gave them control of the Strait. .Gf Gibraltar, and enabling them to transport their Moroccan shock troops to the mainland.

Majorca has played a different role. Situated astride what is believed to be the main route whereby Republican Spain is being supplied it has performed the part of a "franctireur, harrying the enemy in the rear. At first isolated, unprotected, and lonely, the island 'has become increasingly aggressive. It is already full of Russian arms found in captured merchantmen. •

The National fleet- charged with the blockade of Spain's Mediterranean coast consists of some forty vessels, excluding armed trawlers and fishing boats. Among them are some interesting new acquisitions.

Two of these are the Mai' Cantabrico and the Mar Negro. The Mar Cantabrico, an 11,000-ton merchantman, sailed from the United States with arms for Republican Spain a few hours before the ban on the -export of war material from the United States came into force. It was captured by Nationalist vessels off the northern coast of Spain, and has since undergone a thorough change. It has now two qua turrets carrying 15-centimetre , guns, and in addition eight anti-aircraft guns. Similar treatment has transformed the Mar Negro. ARMED TRANSPORTS. The change has naturally affected, the ships' speed, which is now not more than fifteen or sixteen knots. But they will provide the Nationalists with transports armed with more formidable teeth than most. The vexed question, of. Italian intervention in Majorca has provided' much fuel for the flames of international controversy. It is clear that in the event of a war in which a National Spain and Italy are allies Majorcan bases would be open to the Italian air.and. sea forces, just as Pantellaria and Bengazi would presumably provide havens for the Spaniards in case of need. This question, however,, goes far beyond the specific ■ problem of Italian intervention in the' affairs of Spain. It is a question for international diplomats rather than international lawyers. Whatever the future intentions of) General Franco and Premier Mussolini may be, one fact, with regard to. rumours of an'ltalian-"occupation" of Majorca may be stated with certainty. The proportion of Italians to Spaniards is very considerably smaller in Majorca,' than in National Spain proper... The* searcher after evidence of Italian intervention in Spain would do' better to establish his headquarter^ near the headwaters of the iEbro ttian at Palma. The only' Italian infantrymen seen, in the'streets of' ;Palma'*for months have been, men returningyfrom. ,Spaire to Italy, who have been allowed tcdisembark and stretch their legs' for a few hours. The anti-laircraft batteries' are now manned exclusively bjr Spaniards. The only foreign "volunteers" now on the island are • pilots, mechanics, and ground. :sta.ff:#ejgnging to the air forces. In all they number some two' of" thr.ee' Hundred, of whom about two-thirds are Italian. GARRISON STRENGTHENED. The Spanish garrison, composed al» most entirely of Majorcans, is a formidable force. The 2000 men who with. repelled the disorderly; Catalan' "Balearic Column" in 1936, have been.vinultiplied almost tenfold. Thirteen battalions of well-trained infantry garrison the island, supported by some forty batteries of artillery. Some of. this material is probably foreign, but the commonest models seem.to be iO.s^centimetre and IS-' centimetre guns * manufactured at Seville and "Reiriosa after Vickers and Schneider, models. A curious feature of the garrison's equipment is that a large proportion' of the machine-guns and sub-machine-guns are of Czech or Russian origin, taken at sea. According to ' expert opinion, the Russian. machine-guns are of good quality; though they tend to heaviness arid suffer, from hasty manufacture.

In igeneral, Majorca appears well adapted to defence/,,Anti-air raid precautions have been developed to a degree' unusual in Spain. Ordinary house cellars have been supplemented in most towns by; very solid underground shelters with earth and cement roofing several metres in thickness. Most of the lights on the island are shaded, and Palma at night is invisibSa from a very short distance. Anti-air-craft batteries are numerous, and about fifty pursuit , planes are "said to be scattered about the island. It seems that the air-raid precautions were not induced by heavy punishment The early, air raids were haphazard, and, owing to the small size of the bombs dropped, not very destructive. 'Early reports of severe damage to Palma were grossly : exaggerated. ; . . ~ -, ••; : Recently the. Catalan bombers. hava been dropping'heavier bombs, and apparently, with somewhat more method. Owing to the ■efficiency of; the precautions, 'however.'''casualtiesvhave been, surprisingly few. • Now that naval supremacy lies definitely with the Nationalists.. Majorca has little to fear from the Republicans. The defensive system of the island has been developed to such .an. extent that the garrison, with the aid of the 35,000 men of the volunteer militia, would be able to give a good account of itself in the face of any invasion, however formidable.' ' , Majorca, indeed, is now giving more to the cause on the mainland than she is receiving from it. The officers' school at Lluch is turning out. some eighty commissioned and some 120- noncommissioned-, officers a term. Four Majorca battalions are. already fighting their Catalan foes on' the Ar3£--j front,, supported by Majorcan artillery-