DESTROYERS SINKING MERCHANTMEN

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 182, 19 August 1937, Page 5

DESTROYERS SINKING MERCHANTMEN

— Press Assn.-

Valencia's Chargu Against Italy ORDERS TO BRITISH NAVY

(By Telegraph

-Copyright.)

(Received 19, 10.30 a.m.) LONDON, Aug. 18. Concerning the instruetions issued by the Admiralty that British ships are now authorised to counter-attaek any snbmarino that attaeks a British merchant ship, the diplomatic correspondent of the Daily Telegraph says it is understood that the orders given to the fleet are couched in sueh terms that the captains of British warships will under instruetions shoot to sink any vessel whether surface or underwater which seeks to attack British ships. It is reported from Valencia that an Italian destroyer chased and fired on the Spanish steamer Aldecoa, which has taken refuge at Algiers undamaged. The Valencia Governaient accuses Italy of using destroyers to sink ships at sea. It says the attaeks hitherto have been confined to submarines; consequently it has been difficnlt to prove their nationality. Now that a surface vessel is partieipating all doubts have been cleared. At S.alamanea the insurgents claim to have cut offi 22 battalions of the Government 's north army, but admit that the lines are still intact. General Piaazzoni, directing the offensive against Santander, exhorts the Italian "Black Arrows" to be the first to enter Santander as they were the first to enter Bilbao. Four Italian divisions are reported to be engaged -in the offensive,