French border police seized and impounded eleven cars loaded with several tons of gold and silver ingots, valued at several hundred million francs, Each of the cars and trucks carrying the ingots had a guard of six carabineers for protection. The French Government ordered the seizure of the cars and the ingots because the Republicans had attempted to pa through the Customs without declaring the valuable metal.
Frontier observers estimated that 110,000 Spanish refugees have crossed the French frontier in the past week.—United Press.
Tragic Scenes at Frontier Perpignan, Feb. 6.
Thousands of French troops on full war footing mounted machineguns and field guns along the Spanish frontier tonight to guard against possible Spanish Nationalist encroachment on French soil after French anti-aircraft batteries had thrice fired on Nationalist planes which crossed the frontier today.
Chaotic conditions prevailed along the frontier as thousands of civilians, many wounded by Nationalist air attacks on highways leading to France, crowded through French frontier gates to safety. Some of them collapsed as soon as they reached French territory, exhausted after days of marching without food or rest in a race with the swiftly advancing Nationalist troops.
Most Republican troops arrived at the frontier in marching formation under general evacuation orders. Some immediately applied for admission into, the French Foreign Legion.
French Army trucks picked up wounded Republican soldiers and civilians at the frontier ani carried them to emergency hospitals. Schools and other public buildings were open to women and children from Spain and provision was made to feed them. the food they will receive in France as refugees will be better than that received in their native Republican areas of Spain during recent months of the war when Nationalist planes and warships curtailed imports of foodstuffs and the military drain on manpower curtailed' the domestic harvest.
Republican troops, mostly from Catalonia, appeared depressed as they crossed the frontier in complete defeat. Their uniforms were tattered and they looked lean and exhausted. The arms they surrendered to French frontier guards were in poor condition and many lacked ammunition—United Press.
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