Letter (copy) : Spanish seamen: emigration

              International. 
HVT/AC/DT/901.
3rd May, 1940.
Miss E. E. Brooke, 
46, Kingsway,
LONDON, W.C.2.
Dear Miss Brooke,
SPANISH SEAMEN - EMIGRATION.
I thank you for your letter of the 30th of April with regard to the possibility of emigrating some of the Spanish seamen who are at present being maintained by us in this country. I am attaching herewith a list which gives the names of applicants with their dependants, if any, with particulars of age, occupation and whether Basque or Spanish.
Certain of the points you raise can be dealt with in a generel fashion. For instance, they have been in this country for varying periods, but they came in our care at the beginning of March 1939. We took charge of them when about that time the British Courts gave the Franco Government possession of the Spanish ships which were then lying in British ports and upon which they had been engaged. During the Spanish war they were employed as seamen on boats controlled by the Spanish Government and engaged in running the blockade to Spain, carrying various cargoes, including arms.
All these men may be regarded as having refused to go back to Spain, and this applies particularly to Captains and 1st officers. They have been hampered in putting themselves on their own feet by the limited opportunities
P.T.O.