Sir Robert Hodgson had also been instructed to tell Salamanca that British "Government, "in the past, had treated these unjustifiable" tacks: on British shipping with utmost patience, but that its patience way now exhausted.
The British Government had corns to the conclusion, Mr, Eden declared, that the time had come that it should be known once for all that it could of continue fo deal with thee tacks solely by prot claims for compensation (cheers).
"The British Government had, there fore, lot it be known to Gen. Franco that' it would reserve to itself. the right henceforth, without any further nolice, to take stich retaliatory action, in any further attack, as may be required or appropriate, The Hunter Explosion The British Government, he con tinued, reluctantly concluded that the British steamer Thorpeness, which had been bombed in Tarragona harbour on January 20, was the object of a deliberate attack, The British agent in Salamanca, Sir Robert Hodgson, had informed the authorities in Salamanca that the Government took a serious view of this attack and required a full ex= ithe. Forelan Secretary said. that planation,
the United Kingdom Government was unable to accept the Franco Government's contention that it did not lay the mine which damaged the warship URNS. Hunter on May 13, 1997, Salamanca had been informed thal the British claim for the damage done would be approximately 2130, 000, Regarding the rumour that Italy intended to send large armed forces to Spain shortly, Mr, Eden declared that he had no' evidence of this. He would, however, regard the des patch of armed forces by any country og a breach of the Non-Interven—tion Agreement and would be bound to take a most serious view.—Reuter.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.