London, May 31.
The subject of the bombing of the British cargo steamer, Thorpe Hall, on May 25, while she was anchored a mile and a half off the entrance. to. Valencia, was dwelt upon in. the: House of Commons yesterday, Mr. R. A, Butler, Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs said that from the reports he had received he understood that the vessel had been al lacked by an aeroplane, - which dropped two bombs, One' missile struck the steamer, which sank half an hour later.
From the fact that the ship had been lying well away from the har-our, and had been reconnoitred by.
similar aeroplane on the previous. evening, Mr, Butler continued, the British 'Government considered' that, She was the victim of deliberate attack, Sir Robert Hodgson, the British agent at Burgos, had been instructed to bring the incident to the notice of the Burgos authorities and to request that strong disciplinary action taken against the crew. of the offending sireraft, Sir Robert Hodgson had. further been instructed to impress upon the Burgos authorities the serious view taken by the British Government of the repetition of de-Aiberate attacks on British shipping. fud to request that Instructions be given that such attacks should cease.
The British Government, Mz, Butler concluded, reserved the right to claim full compensation for the loss and damage to persons and property resulting from this attack on. the Thorpe Hall—Reuter,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.