Exodus Women Can Disembark at Gibraltar; Will Be Sent to Palestine

Women in advanced stages of pregnancy aboard the ##ee British vessels on route to Germany with 4,400 Exodus refugees will be allowed disembark at Gibraltar, where the ships are refuelling, and will later be sent to Palestine, the Colonial Office said today in a surprise announcement.

The pregnant women will be permitted to take their other children, if any, ##h them, the announcement added. It is expected that this decision will affect up ### 100 of the deportees.

Earlier, a Reuters correspondent aboard one of the ships reported that the refugees had been jammed into the ships’ holds to permit the decks to be washed after ### ships were loaded with coal for the long voyage to Hamburg.

Powerful searchlights were trained on the refugees throughout the night, and, 15-minute intervals, anti-personnel depth charges were dropped around the ships to twenty any “frogmen” from attacking the vessels, the correspondent said. In an effect to ascertain that no attempts would be made by the refugees to seize control the ships, special welding crews inspected the cages holding the refugees on the ###edecks. No unofficial boats were permitted to approach the vessels within hailing ###tance and British patrol boats circled the three ships on the lookout for any suspious craft.There were no incidents aboard the vessels with the Jews appearing to endure their hardships “philosophically,” according to the correspondent. It is expected at the vessels will not sail from Gibraltar before tomorrow morning.

ARGUMENTS ON HABEAS CORPUS-WRIT FOR REFUGEES POSTPONED UNTIL TOMORROW

Arguments on the Jewish Agency’s writ of habeas corpus designed to prevent {SPAN}###a{/SPAN} disembarkation in Germany of the refugees was postponed until Friday by Justice {SPAN}###nkins in High Court.{/SPAN}The adjournment was requested by the government’s counsel, who said that aditional time was needed to secure an affidavit from Foreign Secretary Ernest Bevin, {SPAN}###,{/SPAN} with Colonial Secretary Creech-Jones, are the persons against whom the writ is {SPAN}##rected. He said that the government also wanted time to consult the Solicitory-General.{/SPAN}Denis N. Pritt, Independent M.P. who is acting as counsel for the Jewish agency, received permission to communicate by radio with his clients aboard the de{SPAN}##rtation vessels in order to receive instructions. He was cautioned by the court ### radio nothing that might provoke disturbances on the ships.{/SPAN}