BRITISH OFFICIALS IN SPAIN
[To the Editor of THE SPECTATOR.] Si,—In a letter under the above title in your last issue Sir George Young writes : "There was little or no "risk for Our Consuls at Madrid and Malaga, but their withdrawal greatly increased the risk to the persons and property of British subjects there. And it was interpreted in Spain as connivance. in the executions that followed the occupation of Malaga . ." One,wonders who in Spain can have, placed such a construction upon what in fact happened. The Coniul at Malaga left while the Reds weto still in power, and retutned upon the heels of General Franco's troops. How then could his absence have been thought to connive in the executions that took place by the latter ? • - Of how much effect his presence in Malaga had upon the carrying out of executions I know something from experience. On two occasions I was actively interested in trying to obtain a remission of the death penalty, and each time the Consul assisted mc to the utmost of his power. We were not successful : yet I remain convinced, having been given every opportunity to study the matter by the military authorities in Malaga, that no one suffered execution there without a fair trial. And I may add that, that was the opinion of „all foreigners with whom I talked.. Six George Young also writes that German planes, after for fiye days bombarding his hospital, had achieved nothing more than some broken glass ; and one is struck with the thought of how infinitely more efficient are the Red aviators who, in only two attacks upon the military hospital at Granada, succeeded in demolishing most of the building and killing a large proportion of the patients.—I am, Sir, &c., ALGERNON JAMESON. The Bath Club, W. r.
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