London, July 19. 'UCH discussion centred round the Spanish situation in the course of a debate on foreign affairs in the House of Commons. to-day, at the close of which an Opposition Labour motion to reduce the Foreign Office esti: yates was defeated by 265 votes to 123, No nation wanted the Spanish war to become a European war; the Foreign Secretary, Mr.
Anthony Eden, declared in opening the debate.
Nevertheless, -he added, if the nations did not now sincerely ce-operate on a basis which they all accepted "we should drift perilously near such a war."
Mr. Winston Churchill drew attention to the heavy howitzer cannons which were alleged to be mounted around or near Gibral~ tar.
Weapons of this size and power, he added, were not required for any purpose connected with the Spanish civil war.
Mr, Lloyd George said the fact that the "guns" practically enabled the Straits to be closed was very formidable and alarming.
Viscount Cranborne, Under-Secre: tary for Foreign Affaits, clarified the situation with regard fo the guns erected near Gibraltar.
'As Algeciras was bombarded by a 'Spanish Government warship early' in the war, he said, it appeared probable that the guns were mounted as defence against future bombardments The only guns commanding Gibral~ tar were inferior to those which could be trained upon them. Therefore, they constituted no present menace.
Replying to questions, Viscount. Cranborne said Gen. Franco's guns were inferior to the guns in the for~ tress at Gibraltar and it was, not true that any 12+inch howitzers dominated Gibraltar or the harbour.
At the same time the Government reserved the right to take up the matter at any time and in any way: they deemed appropriate, The guns could certainly fire across the Straits, but military experts were of the opinion they did not constitute a mille tary or naval menace.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.