SHIPPING WAR IN SPAIN

Taranaki Central Press, Volume IV, Issue 323, 4 January 1937, Page 5

SHIPPING WAR IN SPAIN

TRAWLER FIRED ON. BRITISH STEAMERS. Review Of Reprisals Taken By Germany. Press Association —'Copyright. Received noon. London, June 3. The position as regards the new shipping war is as follows: CThe- ships concerned are the German steamer Palos, the Spanish steamers Soton and Aragon, and the British steamers Etrib and Blackhill. The war began on Christmas Eve with the seizure of the Palos by the Basque Government at Bilbao, after which the German cruiser Konigsberg, as a reprisal, stopped the Spanish steamer Soton, which grounded but has now been refloated. She was escorted yesterday into Santona Harbour by two submarines, two torpedo-boats, and the entire auxiliary fleet of the Basque Govment, as well as aeroplanes. The Soton’s crew, contrary to earlier reports, was not taken prisoner by the Konigsberg. The Spanish Ambassador in London states that both the Konigsberg and the Kolu arrived at Santona. The British United Press correspondent says that the Konigsberg was outside the harbour when the Soton was taken in. The German reprisal number two is the seizure by the German battleship Graf Spee of the Aragon from Almera with a cargo of foodstuffs for Malaga. A Valencia communique says that the Aragon, was about four miles south of Faro de Sabinal when the Graf Spee

captured her. The communique adds that the Aragon has undoubtedly been arrested by the warships and is being conducted to some rebel port. The Blackhill, a British vessel of 2492 tons from Bayonne, on arrival at Santander last night reported that, though she was flying the Union Jack, four armed insurgent trawlers pursued her for seven miles and fired 16 shots. The Blackhill did not stop and the trawlers, realising they were in Basque territorial waters, withdrew. This is the account from the Basque Government. The British United Press correspondent at Santander says that the Blackhill reported that besides the attack by .the trawlers, the Konigsberg stopped and searched her, but there is no confirm ation of this report. The official spokesman at Berlin indicated that reprisals will continue untjl the Palos’s cargo and passengers have been released. Another London message says that the British Admiralty confirms that a Spanish insurgent trawler fired on the Blackhill, which was not hit. There is no confirmation of a search by the Konigsberg.