NEWS OF THE WEEK
THE change in the military situation in Spain in the past week has been swift and important. Most spectacular is the fall of Malaga, of which the insurgent forces gained complete possession on Monday. Insurgent warships shelled the town and its surroundings in support of the attack by the land forces, who appear to have included a large Italian contingent, but few Germans. The collapse of the resistance is surprising in view of the tenacity with which Madrid has been held, and_the Government forces seem unlikely to make any serious resistance short of Almeria, some ninety miles eastwards along the coast. The effect of the success will be to improve the insurgents' communications with Morocco and release a conSiderable number of troops, perhaps 30,000, for service round Madrid, where what may be the decisive attack on the -capital has been launched. Here the spearhead seems to consist rather of Germans than of Italians, and the vital road from Madrid to Valencia has been cut. Other roads to the coast are still open, but they are quite inadequate to carry the necessary Supplyservices for the capital. Valencia still prothisei resolute resistance, and it has always been dear that the fall of..Madrid would not necessarily end the war. Madrid, more6ver, has not yet fallen, but it looks as though the Only thing, that could save it would be a resolute counter-offentive,, and it remains to be seen whether • the beleaguered troops are capable of that.
