Frank RYAN (Your 144/35)¹

Further to my minute of 20th inst.², you will have seen the item of news in the 'Times' of 24th June according to which Hodgson was reputed to be making progress with arrangements for 100 British prisoners to be exchanged for 100 Italians and that the selected 100 British prisoners had been removed from San Pedro de Cardena and were under an Italian guard at Palencia, but that the approval by the Republican Government of the proposed exchange was awaited; you will have also seen that in the British House of Commons on 27th June a similar statement was made and that further progress had been made in the matter, but that the views of the Spanish Government were still awaited.

The Count de Pourtalés is going to Burgos in 1 or 2 days' time to obtain official confirmation as to the present whereabouts of Frank Ryan and the 99 other prisoners who were removed from San Pedro on 13th June and to endeavour to get in touch with these men; it is hoped that it will be possible to send them in due course correspondence forms.

Meanwhile, Mr. Muntadas says that they have no official news with regard to these prisoners but that he had learned from a private source that they were in PLASENCIA, which is in the province of Caceres, and not at Palencia, which is between Burgos and Valladolid.

I am of opinion that Frank Ryan's Italian gaolers will be careful that nothing should happen to him as he is almost certainly the most important in rank of the 100 prisoners to be exchanged by Burgos. The supposed intention to court-martial Frank Ryan has apparently been definitely abandoned.