CHINESE ARENA.

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 18926, 15 February 1927, Page 9

CHINESE ARENA.

TWO MILLION UNDER ARMS.

SMUGGLING OF MUNITIONS WIDESPREAD. (BI CABLE-PFESS "SOCIATIOS-COPrEIGHT.) (AUSTRALIA* ASD 5.2. CABLE ASSOCIATES.) (Received February Wth, 7.15 p.m.) LONDON, Febiuary U. The Shanghai correspondent of the "Daily Express" says the first English troops will land at 11 on Monday morning, wheu the Second Durhams ami Second Gloucester* will disembark. They will bo confined strictly to uio British settloincnt. There are now 2,000,C00 men under arms in China. Large quantities of aeroplanes, machine-guns, nnd small arms are coming in, not only from Russia, which is the principal source of munitions for the Cantonese, but from France, Germany, Italy, and Japan. Not a little is landed openly by German steamers, Germany not being a partv to the Washington Agreement. Trade in smuggled arms has been going on on a colossal scale since ls-M, including the disposal of a quantity of Remington rifles and other stores left in the neighbourhood of vla °j , )' c T stock when the American and -"!'?'' Forces were withdrawn in 1918. The Chinese also have arsenals at Mukden, Hanyang, Nanking, and elsewhere.

SOCIALISTS DEMAND RECALL OF TROOPS.

(AUSTRALIAN AND N.I. CAM* ASSOCIATION.) PARI3, February 18. The executive of the Socialist International, at which Mr Henderson presided, carried a resolution demanding tho recall of foreign troops and warships, and the abolition of foreigners extra-territorial privileges in China. It also favoured absolute sovereignty of the Chinese people. PEKING AND CANTON. UNITY IN FOREIGN POLICY. (AUSTBALUN AND N.Z. CIBLX ASSOCIATION.) GENEVA, February 18. Leaguei circles agree that successful intervention in China is impossible because at present no single Government is recognised by tho other members. The conviction is growing that the only solution will be to ask the United States to re-summon the signatories of the Washington Treaty. Mr Chu, the permanent Chinese representative here, will represent both Peking and Canton at the next Council meeting on March 17th. "We may have internal differences, but we are united in external policy," ha said.

POSTAL COMMISSIONERS. THE NATIONALIST EDICT. (AtTSTBALIAN AND N.Z. CABLE ASSOCIATION.) SHANGHAI, February 13. \ All the Postal Commissioners are foreigners, but it is believed that the Nationalist attitude in declaring that no Commissioners appointed by Peking will be allowed to assume or continue in office after February 12th, is intended more as a protest against the Peking Goverment's right to make any appointments, especially in Nationalist territory, than an indication of hostility to the foreigners, i It is reported from Japanese sources that the Peking Government has informed London that any agreement regarding Hankow must be ratified by Peking.

BRITISH TROOPS AT SHANGHAI. (austbalux and rr.x. cable association.) (Received February 15th, 0.55 a.m.) PEKING, February 14. The first landing of white troops in Shanghai since the Boxer troubles today was made the occasion of a great, though quiet, public demonstration by the foreign population when the Second Gloucesters and the Second Durbams landed, after being two days aboard transports. Headed by their colours and their own bands, and with a marine band from the warships in port, 1500 men of both battalions, in full kit anis.«with fixed bayonets, marched five miles from the docks to their quarters through the principal streets. Immense crowds of Chinese lined the route, but there was no sign of hostility.