Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1935-09-18
Regular Home
Maneuvers
Cancelled.
SHIPS GATHER
AT GIBRALTAR
Great Vessel Nelson
Reported on Way
to Rock.

BY the Associated Press.
LONDON. September l8.-The
British admiralty officially disclosed
today that the regular Autumn ma
neuvers of the British Navy in the
North Sea have been indefinitely
postponed-with Britain'S major
fighting ships in the Mediterranean.
1t was stated that the remainder
of the home fleet is concentrated of
Portland with its ranks Skeletonized
by the fact that many warships have
been ordered into the Mediterranean
date had been set for the maneuvers
off Scotland and added it was dubious
If they would be held at all in view
OF the circumstances.
Meanwhile, authoritative sources in
dictated today that an official an
nouncement by the air ministry OF
recent concentration of British avia-
ton reinforcements in the Mediter-
ranean area is expected soon. Author
tiles in position to know said they
expected it to confirm recent reports
that Royal Air Force sQuadrons had
been concentrated in Malta. Egypt, and
elsewhere in the Mediterranean sector.
One-Day Maneuvers Today.
The battleships Royal Sovereign
and Nelson steamed out from Port
land this morning, accompanied by
flotilla o. 6eStroyerS. for what was
described as one-day local maneuvers.
Just where they would be held was
not stated.
Between l25 and $50 British war
ships today patrolled the Mediterran-
can in movements which authorita-
tive quarters frankly labeled as pre-
cautionarv."
The I'd and 9Th Destroyer Flotillas.
leaving two destroyers behind, sailed
from Gibraltar Unexpectedly today for
an undiscloSed destination.
Nelson Is Expected.
Reports circulated that the great
battleShip Nelson end the battle
cruiser Rerulse were expected at
Gibraltar shortly. The two f1otillas
arrived there yesterday after speedy
run from England in the company Of
the battle cruisers Hood and Renown
and the I'd Cruiser Squadron. These
battle cruisers and cruisers still were
in the harbor today and it was re-
ported they would stay indefinitely.
H. M. S. Nelson is the flagship of
the British home feet and the head
quarters for the nome feet COM
mander, Admiral Roger Backhouse.
Her displacement is $500 tons and
she carries nine 16-inch guns. H. NJ
S. Repulse recently vas modernized.
OF $4,000 tons, she carries six 15-inch
guns.
British officials, however, we're
quick to deny there was anything
provocative in Britain's action in AS
Sembling this fleet during the present
Ethiopia, especially in view of the
presence of numerous Italian men-of-
war in ancient Rome's Mare Nos
trum."
Britons Just Learn of Action.
Subjects of the British crown today
received their first intimation Of the
extensive naval movements which the
American public has known several
days. Britons were kept in ignorance
of the fleet transfer through volun-
tary censorship by the British press.
The admiralty persisted in describ-
ing the ship movements as routine"
and in accordance with previous ar
rangements.'
A Downing street official asserted
there is nothing to justify any as
that the Mediterranean
maneuvers we're being made in an
ticipation of an outbreak of Anglo
Italian hostilities.
The bulk of the home fleet which
is not actually in the vicinity Of the
Suez Canal-the vital channel through
which all italian forces and war equip
ment have paSsed-has been quietly
assembled at Gibraltar to act as a
backstop to the Mediterranean feet.
Sicily Africa Held Weakest Link.
The fleets present position takes it
we'll to the east of the narrows be-
tween Sicily and Africa, which naval
consider the weakest link
in the steamer lane through the Med
iterranean.
At the same time the admiralty
harbor at Gibraltar has been pro-
tected with a boom defense and the
southern entrance to the admiralty
harbor has been barred to ships.
Concerning "a warlike construction
placed on the ship movements abroad,
the official said: There is nothing
(See BRITISH, Page ~