BOMBING OF SHIPS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 5 July 1938, Page 7

BOMBING OF SHIPS

FRANCO’S REPLY TO BRITAIN Ports Held to be Legitimate Objectives’ IMMUNITY OFFERED ON CONDITIONS (British Official Wireless.) (Received This Day, 10.?,7 a.m.) RUGBY, July 4. In the absence of the Prime Minister, Mr Neville Chamberlain, who was at Leeds to receive an honorary degree, Sir John Simon, in the House of Commons announced that Sir Robert Hudgson, British Agent at Burgos, had brought General .Franco’s reply with reference to the bombing of British ships. • . Sir John Simon said: “Sir Robert Hodgson arrived in London on Thursday and has since been engaged in consultation with Lord Halifax and his advisers and the House will not expect me to do more at the moment than to give a summary of the reply from Burgos. The reply maintains that ports are legitimate military objectives, but strongly disclaims any intention to single out British ships as objectives for attack. The reply goes on to make certain proposals for according immunity from attack to a port to be agreed' upon, and the suggestion is made that this port might be Almeria. Burgos asks for suitable guarantees concerning the nature of the merchandise to be admitted through that port and concludes by emphasising its readiness to put forward proposals which may be helpful in establishing new laws of war for the future. I would only add that tne shipping interests concerned have been informed of the proposals in'thTs Nott and that Britain will naturally take their views Answering supplementary questions, Sir John Simon suggested that they should be deferred until Mr Chamberlain was able to attend Parliament. NONINTERVENTION COMMITTEE. VISCOUNT HALIFAX TO PRESIDE. (British Official Wireless.) (Received This Day, 10.27 a.m.) RUGBY, July 4. The Foreign Secretary, Viscount Halifax, is to preside at a full_meeting of 'the Non-Intervention Committee tomorrow, at which the British plfn, for restoring land and sea control of Spanish frontiers and withdrawal of non-Spanish combatants, comes up for final approval.