London, July 17.
Sir Philip Sassoon, First Commissioner of Works, referred to the, Spanish situation in a speech at Leyland, Lancashire, this afternoon.
He remarked that, as a nation and Empire, we were deeply concerned in anything that might affect the balance of power in the Mediterrancan and added: "Our disinterestedness in the Spanish struggle does not and cannot mean that we disregard our own vital interests in the empire trade routes which pass through the Mediterranean. In so far as the land and sea frontiers of Spain touch upon those routes, we are vitally concerned in maintaining the territorial integrity of Spain."
"I earnestly believe," he added, "that a clear understanding of the British attitude towards Spanish inter grity at this juncture is in the best interests of peace to-day."—Wireless through Reuter, London, July 10.
The British ship Candleston Castle, formerly known as the Seven Seas Spray, was captured at 7 o'clock yesterday morning off Santander, within Spanish territorial waters, by insurgent warships, it was officially stated in London to-day; The ship Was escorted to Ferrol, a seaport on the north-west coast of the Bay of Belanzos, twelve miles north-east of the town of Corunna.—Reuter.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.