Evening star., 1961-01-26
LINER

to stop the flight Of the 20, ,000-
ton liner.
Galvao had most to fear from
Salazar's navy, which was de-
ploying units to head off the
Santa Maria before she could
reach friendly waters.
All naval commands in
Portugal's overseas provinces
we're alerted. Portugal's newest
and fastest frigate, the Pedro
EScobar. armed with 3-inch
guns, was thrown into the
search. The frigate has q
range Of 1000 miles. :.
The Colonial Navigation Co.,
owner Of the Santa Maria, pre-
dicted In Lisbon that the
destroyer would intercept the
liner tomorrow. The destroyer
carried $50 officers and men.
U. 3. TankefS Sent
The United States Navy sent
the tanker Canisteo to. the
are. far out in the Atlantic to
ref lel two deAroyers on the
Other side of the Atlantic or
dered out to watch for the
Santa Maria. The destroyers
are the Vogelsand and the
Gearing
The Navy also reported that
the destroyers Wilson and Da.
mato, after refueling at Trini-
dad. will try to overhaul the
Santa Maria to act as air
sea rescue units for both the
liner and the Navy planes trail
ing her.
THE destroyers will serve as
a plain guard and will be avail
able to escort the liner If the
Santa Maria herself so desires, /"
said Comdr. Charles Rainey,
public information officer.
Comdr. Rainey emphasized
that no attempt will be made
to halt the liner until a firm
disposition is made at a higher
level"
President Kennedy empha-
sized yesterday that Unite d
States officers had not been Or
dered to board the Portuguese
liner.
Galvao in his latest message,
sent to the Columbia Broadcast
ing System. said relations be-
tween the passengers and "the
occupation forces at my COM
mand" are good.
I'VE will disembark as rap
idly as possible in a neutral
port, which will grant facilities
for the safety of them, for
us and this ship, considered
part Of a liberated. patriotic
territory" Galvao said.
Galvao called the seizure OF
the ship Sunday "a patriotic
act Of insurrection born of bel
ligerency against the hideous
dictatorship depressing the
poor Portuguese, deprived OF
all direct, elementary civil
rights. and the cruel economic
misery"
When a Navy patrol plane
first made contact with the
Santa Maria yesterday, Galvao
said his destination was An
gola, the Portuguese colony on
the coast Of Southwest Africa.
Willing to Confer .. -
Galvao, in a radio talk with
the United States naval pilot
who tracked him down, refused
to turn around and 20 to San
Juan and bluntly told him
Destination Angola" But he
added:
"Will accept conference on
board Santa Maria with United
States authorities or any other
than Portuguese or Spanish
(Salazar's close ally)."
The 66-year-old rebel leader
a former army captain and
leading Portuguese writer, told
the Navy pilot, 1t. G.gD DanieI
l.. Krauss, he wanted to dis
charge passengers unharmed
earliest"
Maritime experts calculated
that the 20,906-ton Santa
Maria, steaming at around 48e
miles q day, could be near the
African coast Sunday. But II
would take longer to reach
Angola, in Southern Africa
below the Congo Republic. II
Is roughly 5000 miles to Angola
from the area where the Santa
Maria was taken over last
week end. On its stop in vene.
zuela, before the takeover, the
ship took on food and fuel
sufficient for about 10 days.
i The Salazar government, de.