FRANCO DESPERATE

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 74, 14 April 1937, Page 5

FRANCO DESPERATE

-Press Assn.-

Expected To Go Limit At Bilboa . BRITAIN'S PROBLEM

(By Telesrraph—

-Copyright.1

(Keceived 14, 8.45 a.m.) 3 LONDON, A^ril 13. General Franco is reported to be desperate and ready to gamble to the limit at Bilboa, even to the extent of taldpg a chance witli the British Navy,, whose retaliatjon, he thinks, would provoke the Italian and German navies, leading to a European upheaval. Moreover, having lost caste with the Ger®*ns and Italians, General Franco is intent on a speetacular victory at Bilboa, whereai defeat would further i

weaken him in the eyes of his Fascist friends. Britain cannot risk violating territorial waters, jvhich would establish a precedent endangering the British Empire, whose seaboard is the greatest in the world. Consequently Britain' s policy will be rigidly limited to the full protection of all British merchantmen on ifche high seas, even to. the extent of firing on insurgent "or , Government molesters, but British ships will not receive protection inside the threemile limit. The Board of Trade to-night warned British food ships not to enter Basque ports at present on account of the dangerous conditions.