General Franco's Plans News of the Spanish war has been
varied this week by reports of a naval engagement between Nationalist and Repub- lican vessels off the north coast of Africa, but nothing definite is known of the result. Naval operations, consisting of the sinking of foreign merchant ships by submarines flying General Franco's flag, have been more conspicuous. Some or all of the submarines concerned may have been acquired by the insurgent commander from a friendly European Government, with or without their crews; that, it may be pointed out, is as clear a breach of recognised international law as the illegal activity of the submarines themselves. On land no change of any consequence in the situation has taken place, though the Republicans, mainly in this case Catalonians, have gained some ground on the Aragon front, and in the north the Nationalists advancing along the coast in the face of slight opposition are preparing to bring the port of Gijon under the flag that now flies over Bilbao and Santander. Winter will soon be making its approach felt, and before that another mass-attack on Madrid by the Nationalists may be looked for. But the capital has had time to elaborate its defences and train its defenders. The odds against its capture are con- siderable—unless non-intervention pledges are torn up and Signor Mussolini throws himself into the conflict in earnest.
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