MADRID STILL BOMBARDED

Taranaki Central Press, Volume IV, Issue 416, 24 April 1937, Page 5

MADRID STILL BOMBARDED

SHELLS IN MAIN STREETS • . TWELFTH CONSECUTIVE DAY Running Of Bilbao Blockade Press Association —Copyright. Received 1.20 p.m. Madrid, April 23. Five were killed and many injured in the twelfth consecutive day’s bombardment. Heavy calibre shells fell in the main streets today. A message from Seville says that an insurgent submarine claims to have sunk a Govern- . .ment merchantman, and run an other ashore. Bilbao reports that after Govment aeroplanes had kept five rebel air attacks at bay, the sixth killed ten and wounded 30 before the air defence brought down two of the attackers. The rebels have resumed the land offensive and occupied several villages. THREE BRITISH FOODSHIPS. A message from St. Jean-de-Luz states:—* The British food ships Stanbrook, Hamsterley and MacGregor sailed from St. Jean-de-Luz at 11.30 o’clock to-night with all lights out and ran the- blockade, reaching Bilbao safely. Ft is understood the Hood escorted them to the limit of territorial waters. “Corncob” Jones, the commander of the freighter MacGregor, was confident overnight that he> could emulate Captain “Potato” Jones and deliver his cargo of flour and dried beans. The Stanbrook w/a s not fitted with wireless, but kept close contact with the others' in case of emergency. All the ships obtained control com-

mittee certificates that they were not carrying war material. The trio weighed anchor at 11.30 p.m. Ths Hood thereupon exchanged signals and the flotilla-leader Faulknor left for 'the sea an hour later, presumably to follow in the wake of the blockade runners, for which 'three Bilbao pilots arrived by air yesterday. BILBAO FREE FROM MINES. Among the conflicting reports of the blockade running is one that an insurgent cruiser fired at one of the British ships outside the three-mile limit. The Hood and the destroyer Firedrake signalled, telling the cruiser not to interfere with British shipping. A Bilbao report states that immediately the food ships entered territorial waters the Government warships Vizcaya and Guipuzcoa escorted them, while three rebel warships steamed away as the shore batteries dropped shells a few feet short. The Basque Foreign Minister declared that the entry of the three ships proved that Bilbao was free from mines. The fact that the rebel warships were present, intending to impede the entry of the ships, and failed proved that they were incapable of an effective blockade.