OPEN WARFARE.

Auckland Star, Volume LVIII, Issue 90, 18 April 1927, Page 7

OPEN WARFARE.

YANGTSE BATTLE. Foreign Vessels Deliberately Fired On. OPPONENTS ENTRENCHED. (By Cable.—Press Association. —Copyright.) SHANGHAI, April 17. A wireless message from Nanking says intermittent rifle and gun fire between Pukow and Nanking continued all day. The opposing, troops are entrenched on either bank of the river, with the result that all passing vessels are subject to rifle fire. The fleet auxiliary Fortol, and the British warship Mantis were deliberately fired on by riflemen from the south bank immediately below Nanking. The Mantis replied with machineguns. She suffered no casualties. The warship Wolsey was fired on from the forts below Nanking, and replied. She had no, casualties. To-day it is reported that both sides are digging in on their respective banks of the river between Nanking and Chinkiang. 50 miles to the east. Continuous desultory firing is still taking place between Nanking and Pukow, and passing ships are constantly fired on from both banks. In the Nanking area a British steamer, the Kungwo, and an American steamer, the Meian, were subjected to heavy rifle fire. The American destroyer Ford and the British cruiser Emerald replied. These attacks on foreign shipping on the Yangtse are increasing. Every vessel passing between Hankow and Shanghai has to run the gauntlet of mixed lire from both banks of the river from entrenched soldiers.

Poor Gunnery. Virtually open warfare is being waged. The Chinese forts are participating, but their antiquated weapons and inexperienced gunners prevent them registering hits. Every attack is replied to by British and other foreign warships with pompoms, machine-guns and rifles, and frequently with heavy guns. Owing to the absence of landing parties, however, it is impossible to ascertain the results of the return fire. It is believed that tremendous damage has been done on shore, but the attacks have not diminished.

In the midst of these exchanges Chinese enemy warships periodically shell th" land defences up the river, thus creating virtually a Chino-foreign naval alliance. The situation would be laughable if it were not so dangerous.

HORRID ATROCITIES. WHITE SLAVE TRAFFIC. SHANGHAI, April 17. The Nationalists captured five Northerners, including three White Russians, who were trying to bomb Nanking. The prisoners were tried by court-martial. They were released after their noses had been cut off as a warning to others. Nationalist soldiers are selling respectable Chinese girls in many cities below the Yangtse River for 20 cents a "catty" (roughly 20oz). The Chinese "Courier," a Chineseowned English newspaper, says Chang Tsung-chang. commander of the Shantung army, in an interview, said he had no fear of the Nationalists advancing. If the worst came to the worst, he could continue to make a fortune by converting ins harem into a commercial concern.

The members of the Peasants' Union are carrying out by force a division of land in the province of Hunan. The present owner? of land are being killed and terrible brutalities are occurring in all the cities of Hunan, where a monstrous form of Bolshevism is now in control.

The gradual closing in of Red Hunanese troops on Hankow threatens to create a grave situation there. These troops prevented from going down the river by Marshal Chian? Kai-shek, the -Nationalist rommander-in-chipf.