SHIPS TRAPPED.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVIII, Issue 234, 2 October 1937, Page 9

SHIPS TRAPPED.

CHINESE ACTION. Filling of River Blocks 22 Foreign Vessels. JAP. 'PLANES DOWN IN RAID. United Press Association.—Copyright. (Received 1 p.m.) HONGKONG, October 1. The Chinese have filled in a portion of the River Boom, five miles above Bocca Tigris, imprisoning the British warships Robin and Tarantula, tho American ship Mindanao, the French vessel Argus, six British coasters, two Norwegian and two French merchantmen and eight river steamers. The step is believed to have been due to apprehension that Japanese destroyers were planning a raid. Japanese 'planes bombed Canton and Whampoa, 27 miles away. The Chinese claim to have brought down two of the raiding 'planes. AMERICAN POLICY. Japan Responsible for Loss To Nationals. INDISCRIMINATE BOMBING. NEW YORK, October 1. The Washington correspondent of the "New York Times" reports that the Secretary of State, Mr. Cordell Hull, at a Press conference, was non-committal on the subject of the Japanese reply to the protest by America against bombing of open towns. However, he emphasised that the policy of the United States that Japan was responsible for damage to American lives and property owing to her indiscriminate bombings, was unchanged in spite of the Japanese declarations to the contrary.

Observers do not expect tho United States to protest again. They believe that any decision as to future policy toward Japan probably will be deferred until the conclusion of the session of tho League Assembly. SINKING OF JUNKS. INQUIRY AT HONGKONG. British Official Wireless. (Received 9.30 a.m.) RUGBY, October 1. In connection with the incident in which a Japanese submarine is reported to have sunk a fleet of Chinese fishing iunks, it is understood that certain facts have been reported by the German liner Scharnhorst. British and colonial authorities at Hongkong are holding an iaqaiij.