42 JAP. WARSHIPS ON WHANGPOO RIVER

Auckland Star, Volume LXVIII, Issue 263, 5 November 1937, Page 7

42 JAP. WARSHIPS ON WHANGPOO RIVER

LANDING ATTEMPT? Air Bombing and Artillery Preparation. ENCIRCLING SHANGHAI. United Press Association.—Copyright. (Received 1 p.m.) SHANGHAI, November 4. Forty-two warships, including four aircraft-carriers, the largest naval squadron here since the start of hostilities, concentrated in the Whangpoo River, foreshadowing an attempt by Japanese to land troops at Pootung, opposite the International Settlement, in an attempt to encircle the city. Air bombers and artillery, as a preliminary, are hammering the Chinese lines on the western outskirts, while others bombed and machine-gunned l'ootung positions this afternoon. Forty 'planes systematically bombed the western garden suburbs adjacent to the Soochow Creek. Japanese ciaini to have occupied four to six miles of the south bank of Soochow Creek to a depth of half a mile. The low banks are exposing the troops to heavy Chinese fire. The Japanese celebrated the birthday anniversary of the famous Japanese Emperor, Meiji, who introduced democratic reforms in Japan, by a salute of 101 guns, but the guns were pointed at the Chinese and the shells were "alive." A warning has been issued by the Japanese that they will shoot down any aeroplanes flying over their lines, regardless of their markings. This is a sequel to the reported flight of two monoplanes with British markings over the north-west area of Shanghai. The British observers suggest that the monoplanes were camouflaged Chinese machines. Japanese in Sliansi captured Sinkow, 55 miles north of Taiyuan, later taking Sinchow, 40 miles nearer. A Japanese ''death band" tunnelled under the Chinese main positions and blew them up at midnight, then machinegunned the Chinese. The newspaper "Asahi" claims that | Chinese left 30.000 dead, and 200,000 are I retreating to Taiyuan.

SAIL HOME NEXT WEEK. SILKSWORTH'S CHINESE CREW. (Received 9.30 a.m.) SYDNEY, this day. Thirty-six Chinese, the crew of the Japanese-chartered steamer Silksworth, which they declined to sail to Manchukuo, are still in Sydney under care and supervision of the Chinese Consul. It is expected that arrangements will be made for the crew to join the out-ward-bound vessel Nanking next week.