PROTEST TO BURGOS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 25 May 1938, Page 7

PROTEST TO BURGOS

AGAINST THE BOMBING OF BRITISH SHIPS EVIDENCE OF DELIBERATE INTENT. STATEMENT IN THE HOUSE OF COMMONS. (British Official Wireless). - RUGBY, May 23. In an answer in the House of Commons, the Under-Secretary for Foreign Affairs, Mr R. A. Butler, stated that the British Government had not yet received a reply to the protest which the British Government Agent at Burgos, Sir Robert Hodgson, had been instructed to make regarding deliberate attacks on British shipping. Sir Robert, however, had been instructed to take the matter up further with the Burgos authorities pointing out, that, in addition to attacks which the British Government had definite evidence to show were deliberately aimed at British ships, there had been a number of recent raids in which British ships had been seriously damaged arid life had been lost; also cases where bombs had been dropped in close proximity to British ships lying in the harbour. After considering these incidents collectively, the British Government had been forced to conclude either that deliberate attacks on British ships were being made or that bombs were being dropped haphazardly in such a manner as to cause indiscriminate damage to ships in port. The Government therefore considered that it had ample ground for insisting that these incidents should cease and that proper care be exercised by bombing aircraft in selecting objectives. The Government was also considering, in conjunction with British ship-owners, whether any other steps could be taken to avoid damage to British shipping in Spanish Government ports.