Evening star., 1938-04-22
.L0YAL|ST MILITIA
TAKEN IN BOATS
'nsurgent Fleet Captures
Soldiers Attempting to
Join Miaja.
B, the Associated Press.

JOIIl MIdJd.
B, the Associated Press.
HENDAYE France (at the Spa anish
border|. April 22.-The insureent war
Meet, led by the heavy cruiser Canarias.
today captured or sank a score of
fishing boats in which government
militiamen were attempting to get
from Catalonia to the coast further
south to join the forces Of Gen. Jose
Miaja.
lnsurgent dispatches said the small
est OF the government ships kaeeing
the coast were taken by fishing boats
the insurgents had armed, while the
Canarias and other large units OF the
Meet captured number of small
steam craft.
Most OF the fugitives made their
dash down the coast at night, but the
1nsurgent navy spotted them with
giant searchlights.
Inc militiamen previously had be-
longed to the command Of Gen. Mia IA
now commander in chief fo- all poy-
ernment Spain except isolated Cata-
lonia
They were caught in the Tortosa
sector when the insurgents drove
through to the sea at Vinarox last
Friday, driving a wedge between Cata :
lonia and other government territory
Some Ships Sent to Bottom.
The militiamen, including some off,
GERS, and the crews were taken off the
government boats which surrendered.
Some OF the vessels, however, attempt
ed to fiee and were sent to the bottom
by shells from the warships' guns.
A few of the better boats were oc.
cupied by insurgent crews and taken
to Vinaroz. The rest were sent to
the bottom. Many boats bore the
names Of Lenin, Marx and other Left
st leaders. insurgent reports said.
Some of the militiamen told their
captors they had taken to the boats
with the intention Of surrendering to
the insurgent fleet.
This naval incident occurred as the
governments numerical superiority in
land forces. almost two to one, ap-
parently had halted the insureent
drive in Eastern Spain.
Eastern Advance Checked.
The latest communique issued by
the insurgent general headquarters.
which for days has detailed A Iona
list of captured towns. spoke merely
In general terms of continued ad-
vance" down the coastal road towards
Castellon de Ia Plana.
The terse communique, however,
placed the insurgent southern columns
still in the vicinity of Alcala de
Chivert, which was reported captured
36 hours before.
A similar impasse seems to have
been reached all the way to the
Pyrenees frontier. where for the last
two DAYS the insurgents have been
taxing complete possession" Of the
Aran Valley.
Bridgeheads Reduced.
Along the 100 miles OF the 19O-mile
front-from Gandesa north to Sort
the militiamen have held firmly for
more than a week. At strategic
Tfemp and Balsguer the government
reported counter-attacks had reduced
insurgent bridgeheads.
During the month since the in
surgent attack developed in Catalonia,
Gen. Frances troops have penetrated
An average OF only l8 miles within the
nrOVtnnn ho,,f
breadth.
The stabilization OF the govern
ment's defenses behind the natural
barriers Of the Segre and Ebro Rivers
mas enabled the militiamen to make
the fullest use Of their strength.
Their line Of fortifcations also has
baked the insurgents favorite flank
Ing tactics, forcing them to make
frontal attacks. Against these the
most effective weapons are the auto
matte rife and machine gun, the only
ones in which the government has
superiority
Government dispatches from Ma
drid said new insurgent efforts to
crack the city's defense line, weak
ened by transfer Of troops to the east
ern front, had been checked by ex-
ploding mines.
The guard house and the hysienic
institute in the west park sector were
blasted, killing a number Of the in
surgents as they occupied positions
behind the militiamen.
Insureent reports explained the To-.
cal commander on the Madrid front
decided the moment was not quite
ready for mass effort to enter the
streets Of the sector bordering the
park, so he ordered his troops to for
tify occupied trenches.
Gen. Miaja Nearly Captured.
ZARAGOZA, Spain. April % LP.-
The insurgents say Gen. Jose Mia ja,
civil and military chief for all. gov
eminent Spain except Catalonia,
barely escaped capture in their recent
march to the Mediterranean.
Gen. Miaia had gone to the Medi-
terranean front last week to study
defense problems when the insurgents
separated Catalonia from the rest OF
government territory.
The insurgents say the bald, heavy
jowled general ned toward Barcelona,
passing through the town Of Ulldecona
at the same time Generalissimo Fran
cisco Frances Navsrrese troops swept
in. He had to use plane to get
back across the insursent salient to
Madrid.