Evening star., 1938-06-28
GIBRALTAR PERIL
ISSUE IS. RAISED
IN GREAT BRITAIN
Duchess of AthoII Lists
Franco Guns Nearby.
Demands Action.
FRESH PLEA TO ARM
MERCHANTMEN SEEN
Indignation Mounts in London
Over Bombing of Ships
in Spanish Ports.
BACKGROUND

BACKGROUND
Repeated bombing OF British
merchantmen in Spanish ports has
caused mounting Indignation IN
London. While Prime Minister
Chamberlain has refused aggressive
action, demands haze been made to
arm the ships. Continued charges
OF "Gibraltar threat" by Franco
guns came to head ,Dhen Duchess
OF Athou supplied detailed list.
By the Associated Press.
LONDON, June 28.-The Duchess Of
Atholl today gave details Of what she
said we're guns Threatening Gibraltar"
from insurgent Spain and issued notice
she would ask Prime Minister Neville
Chamberlain in the House of Commons
tomorrow what he intends to do about
them.
The duchess recently rebelled from
conservative ranks and has been fire.
quent government critic.
The question of such guns. allegedly
of German manufacture, has been
raised repeatedly during the Spanish
civil war. The government has taken
the position generally that they are not
at the western entrance to the Mediter-
ranean.
Enumerates Guns in Detail.
The duchess question enumerates
guns in greater detail than any pre-
Wous list. It cites:
More than 20 guns in hills around
insurgent-held Algeciras, including
three pieces of more than 10 inches.
A number of long-range 5.s-inch
guns and several howitzers 80 placed
that they could drop shells in Gibraltar
. but yet are invisible from the highest
point on the rock"
Nine naval-type guns of about (
inches on Punta Carnero.
At least one 15-inch gun on q high
peak near AlcAla de las Gaz,lles, al
most II miles inland.
About Is guns ranging from 6 to Is
inches near Ceuta. in Spanish Morocco,
directly opposite Gibraltar.
Facing . House Of Commons rest
less over continued bombings Of Brit
, ish ships in Spanish ports. Prime
Minister Chamberlain said that Sir
Robert M. Hodgson, British agent at
Burgos, was pressing Generalissimo
Franco for = reply to B-itain's pro-
tests against the bombings.
Chamberlain said Sir Robert was
seeking this reply lin order that he
may return with it without delay"
Indignation Mounts.
Mounting indignation led some
quarters to believe Chamberlain
government must face fresh demands
to allow the ships to arm in defense.
Earlier hopes that q five-day hull in
attacks on British ships indicated In
surgent General Franco at last was
responding to repeated protests were
dashed yesterday by the destruction of
two more merchantmen, the Arlon
and the Farnham, with loss Of four
lives.
On top Of that. six insurgent planes
again. bombed the British-operated
port Of Gambia, IS miles south of Va
'lencia, and dropped missiles near the
British cruiser Arethusa anchored on
the breakwater.
Adding to British uneasiuess was the
report from Rome that Premier Mus
solini had held a conference with two
Of his foremost fighting men-Marshal
Pietro Badaglio, chief of the general
staff, and Gen. Alberto Pariani, under
secretary for war.
Although 1t was supposed Mussolini
meant the conference to direct atten-
ton to the italian promise to answer
with cannon" any Spanish govern
nent attempt to back up its threat to
bomb Italian cities, some sources sug-
gested the discussion may have been
on the general conduct of the Spanish
civil war.
Loyalists Hail Commission.
The possibility was kept in mind
that Mussolini might determine to aid
Franco in making final, overwhelm-
ing drive to end the war
The Barcelona government, at
least, showed there was no immediate
danger Of its threat being carried out.
A note from the Spanish government
to the British government hailed the
creation Of q neutral commission to
investigate air raids on unfortined
Spanish cities and made it plain plans
for any reprisals would be held in
aheyance until it is seen how the plan
works,
The British government informed
Barcelona yesterday of formation of
the commissions Swede, a Nor
wegian and q Briton-to determine If
military objectives justify any specific
raid on cities behind the lines and re-
port the results Of the Investigation
to the world.
With demands that British mer-
ehantmen be allowed to arm themselves
turned aside by Chamberlain's cautious
replies in Commons yesterday, his
chief hopes still were pinned to getting
foreign volunteers out of Spain and
perhaps ending the var.
The Non-Intervention Subcommittee
to which the volunteer problem is con-
signed faced the thorny question to-
day Of deciding how the cost Of evacu-
ating foreign fighters will be met.
The cost will be $4,000, 900, it was
estimated. Soviet Russia has objected
to helping to pay for sending Gen.
Frances foreign volunteers home.
Chamberlain announced q commit
tee would inquire into the charge Of
Duncan Sandys, Conservative member
Of, Parliament and son-in-law Of Win
ston Churchill, that the attorney gen.