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Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 202, 11 September 1937, Page 5

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-Press Assn.-

Spanish Insurgent Cruiser Damaged By Shells CONFLICTING CLAIMS

(By Telegraph-

-Copyright.)

(Received 11, 10.40 a.m.) GIBRALTAR, Sept. 10. Although the Spanish insufgents claim that it was the cruiser Baleares that was engaged in the naval bnttle at AJgiers tliat week, the Canarias (a cruiser of the same design) passcd tlie Straits from the Mediterranean with shell marks on her sides and a list to starboard. According to a message from Valen-i cia, a communique issued states that the loyalist cruiser Libertad twice made contact with tlie Canarias, the battlo lasting for tliree hours. Two hundred shots were exchanged. The Canarias fled on the arrival of loyalist destroyers. An official account from Valencia of the so-called naval battle states that the Libertad sighted the Canarias and immediately went at full speed to engage her. The vessels exchanged shots at distances varying from nine to eleven miles for over an hour, when the Cararias fled. The Republican destroyers sighted the Canarias later, and a battle ensued at a range of from six to seven miles. Flames issued from the Canarias' tunnel, and the Libertad suspended firing for ten minutes. Insurgent seaplanes bombed the Republican destroyers, but without causing damage. The insurgents claim that the Libertad. was gunk in Cariagena Harbour