BARCELONA IN PERIL

Wairarapa Times-Age, 20 January 1939, Page 5

BARCELONA IN PERIL

NATIONALIST COLUMNS CLOSING IN CITY ALMOST WITHIN ARTILLERY RANGE ATTACKERS ALSO ADVANCING ALONG PYRENEES. ATTEMPT TO CUT RAILWAY TO FRANCE. By Telegraph—Press Association —Copyright. (Received This Day. 9 a.mJ LONDON. January 19. It is anticipated that General’s Franco’s artillery will be within range of Barcelona at the weekend. The latest news from the fronts shows that the Nationalists’ southern columns have advanced five miles toward the capital, and that the centre columns have penetrated deeper into the slowly shrinking Barcelona Province, and are only eight miles from Igualada, while the coastal legions are advancing from Tarragona, 39 miles distant. Large northern forces are also crossing the southern spurs of the Pyrenees, and closing in on the famous Catalan mountain passes in an endeavour to cut the railway to France.

MYSTICAL FAITH PEOPLE OF CITY CALM. BELIEF THAT VICTORY IS NEAR AT HAND. By Telegraph—Press Association— Copyright. (Received This Day, 9 a.m.) LONDON, January 19. “The Times” special correspondent at Barcelona says the city is singularly calm and not despairing. The great mass of the people, with almost mystical faith, feel that victory is near at hand, and fervently believe that Republican Spain is invested with the superior mission of leading the vanguard against the oppression of Fascism. UNCONFIRMED REPORT. REINFORCEMENTS FROM MADRID. By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright PARIS, January 19. An unconfirmed report from Perpignan states that 60,000 Spanish Government troops are preparing to leave the Madrid sector to reinforce the Catalan front. One report says that four shiploads of 12,000 men have already left Valencia for Barcelona. ,

BLUM’S WARNING ITALY READY TO START COLONIAL RACE. SITUATION NOT TO BE ENDURED. By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright. PARIS, January 1 The former Popular Front Premier, M Leon Blum, addressing a huge Socialist meeting demanding the reopening of the Spanish frontier today, said: “We are face to face with Italy who is only waiting for General Franco’s victory to start her colonial race against us. The present situation can no longer be endured. I hope our campaign won’t be too late to save the Spanish Republic.”

PROTEST BY SPAIN ITALIAN WARSHIPS SOLD TO REBELS. SILENCE OF NON-INTERVENTION COMMITTEE. The Spanish Government has sent a Note to the Foreign Office expressing amazement and protest against the silence of the Non-intervention Committee regarding Italy's sale of four destroyers and two submarines to the rebels. It is requested that the Note should be handed on to the Committee. The charges are based on the 1938 issue of Jane's “Figffting Ships.” It is declared that it is difficult to believe that Britain is not aware of the sales in view of the excellence of her naval intelligence.