The Waterbury Democrat., 1936-12-18

12-inch, twenty 4-inch and 16 smaller guns. The Espana is the leading ship of the nationalist navy.
 Confirmation of the Febus dis patch would mean that the Erie was victim of the first international complication of moment since the nationalists announced their inten- tions of blockading loyalist ports and warhed all foreign ships to keep away.
 Gijon is 8 strong loyalist port and is an irritant to the nationalists because 1t is the port for Oviedo, i the center of activity of the tough dynamite-throwing miners of the Asturias country.
 Other Vessels There
 Tn addition to the Erie, the United Statese has in Spanish waters the cruiser Raleigh and the destroyer Flusser. The Flusser arrived at Gibraltar from New York Decem- Der II. The Raleigh also was at Gibraltar then, and next day joined the British fleet and garrison guns in their salute to King George VI on his proclamation as king.
 The Erie was in a dangerous spot when according to the Febus agency it came under the Es- pana's fire. The little port of the city of Gijon neStleS, almost land- locked, at the northwest corner of the city. Natural and artificial breskwaters almost encircle the har- bor and the entrance is barely 100 yards across.
 State Department Hears It
 Washington, December 18. - CUP) - The State Department confirmed today reports of an encounter be- tween the U. 8. S. Erie and Span ish warship in the Port of Gijon.
 The identity of the Spanish warship was not ascertained in the State Department advices. The Erie is a new 2,000 ton navy gum boat.
 The department was advised that the Spanish vessel fired two shots in the general direction of the Port of Gijon where the Erie had just arrived.
 One shell fell about 800 yards from the Erie and the other landed in the hills behind the town, the de- partment was advised.
 Russian Ship Sunk London, December 18. - CUP) - Private advices to London today contained an implication that the Spanish nationalist fleet may have halted, set fire to and abandoned the 4,500 ton Russian government freight steamship Komsomol off Gran, on the African coast of the Mediterranean. The advices said that the crew of from g to 30 were believed to have been rescued, but 1t was added that their subsequent fate was unknown.
 The captain of a Belgian tank ship, according to the advices, re- ported to authorities at Gibraltar that he passed burning ship which | he believed to be Russian. There | was no sign of 8 crew aboard, he | said. He added that a nationalist | warship was standing by.
 The Komsomol, with 8 cargo of | iron ore from Poti, on the Georgian coast of the Black Sea, for Spain, passed the Dardanelles leading in- to the Mediterranean December 8 and was due at Gibraltar Tuesday. | It did not arrive.
 Russian wireless messages sent to | 1t have not been answered.
 The shots were red from range Of about 10000 yards.
 Although the state department advices failed to identify the Span- ish warship, reports from Spain said that the ship was the nation alist war8hip, Espana.
 The commander of the Erie said he believed the Spanish warship was the Espada, but that he was not positive. After ring the two shots the warship steamed away in a westerly direction.
 Did not Return Fire
 The Erie did not return the re. The American vessel had put into the porv to ascertain whether any American nationals in the area re- quired assistance.
 American consul William F.. Chapman was on board the Erie at the time of the incident.
 State department officials indi- cated no steps would be taken in the matter pending receipt of furth- CT information. There was nothing In the dispatch from Chapman to indicate denifitely that the Spanish ship had intended firing at the Erie, 1t was said.
 Keep Hands or Spain
 London, December 18. - (UP) - Captain Anthony Eden warned Germany. Italy and Russia to keep | hands off Spain during foreign af- fairs debate today in the house of commons.
 Tt is the duty Of all nations to keep out of the Spanish quarrel and allow the Spanish people to settle their sufficiently tragic difficulties in their own way" Eden said.
 Eden frankly admitted that "non- intervention has not realized our expectations, neither the speed with