RIOTS AT HANKOW.

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 18969, 6 April 1927, Page 11

RIOTS AT HANKOW.

Japanese Concession Invaded

CLASH WITH MARINES.

General Situation Worse.

On Sunday a mob invaded the Japanese Concession at Hankow and were driven out by marines after a fight in which there were casualties on both sides. The general situation in China is worse, many uprisings being reported in the Yangtse valley. Foreign police and volunteers at Shanghai carried out a spectacular raid on a notorious quarter of the city supposed to be the headquarters of revolutionaries.

/ r.uT.t-raiss association—corntionT.) (ifsrS m. cable association.) (Received April sth, 7 p.m.) SHANGHAI, April 4. A serious situation has developed at Hankow, necessitating the removal of Japanese residents, following a mob attack on Japanese marines. Hordes of. labourers stormed the Japanese Concession, necessitating the landing of 200 Japanese marines, who the mob from the Concession. The clash resulted in the deaths of s <!ven Chinese and injuries to a number of marines. Five Japanese and five marines were «ftied off by the mob, and their where■bouts is unknown. A marine was later found dead, floating in the river, the ' body beiilg mutilated. The Chinese. surrounded the Concession but were held back by the marines, the' Japanese admiral refused a reoaest by the Chinese authorities to withdraw his marines, following which the Chinese Guards of the Eighth Army surrounded the Concession to check the inobs, but instead fired on the marines. Two deßtrdyers and two cruisers have been dispatched to Hankow to assist iti removing Japanese nationals. Later reports state that the mob is getting out of hand.

NATIONALISTS TAKE CONTROL. an apology received. lU'3Tr.U.UH AXO R.2 CXBIS ASSOCIATION.) (Received April sth, 8.30 p.m.) | SHANGHAI, April 4. ' A naval wireless menage from Hani;dw gives 'details of the mob rising on April 3rd. l'he disturbance was caused by Chinese .children abusing Japanese •Bluejackets-strolling on the Bund, arid a jflob, In a threatening mood, invaded the- Concession.' A Japanese warship laiidid 200 marines and drove out the mob: itora the Concession, which is now gtlafdfitl by Nationalist troops. Everything was quiet at midnight. The southern commander has apologised to the Japanese Consul.

GRAVE OUTLOOK, j WIDESPREAD UPRISINGS. CfIANG FIGHTING DESPERATELY. (61 C.VBW—PRESS ASSQCJATjOS—COPVRMHT.) (AUSTRALIA!! AN® H.Z. CABLE ASSOCIATION.) (Received April sth, 7.30 p.m.) . SHANGHAI, ipril 4. !fjie situation generally is most dis- . (ufbing, and reports from all parts of tlife country tell'of uprisings and out- ' fages" against all classes of foreign life • iwl property. Despite the presence of large foreign military and naval forces, the trouble '.■ appears temporarily to have revertedto the Hankow River ports and threatens to spread northwards to the ; treaty ports. Jlwshal Chang Tso-lin is desperately wwtiug with the Cantonese in the An- : whei province to stem the Red tide, but his victories are counterbalanced By the activities of plain-clothes agitates striving 1 for a repetition of the Nanking outrages at Peking, Tientsin, wd other places, where foreigners ore 1 cbngrejratea. The removal of foreigner*: continues everywhere. later details of the Nanking outrages equal the horrors of the Boxer KeMlion. These were mainly committed by uniformed coolies upon white foiben and girls, principally Ameriwrij, and upon Japanese women. Reports of these and other indecenaroiised the indignation of foreigners throughout China to a high PMi of fury, rae arrival at Hankow from Canton delegates to the International Lao Messrs Mann, Brovvcjav, : Wortot has prompted a revival of 2^ n ßtrations against foreigners, ine delegates and several Russian peaker? addressed a jj U g e maf !s meetrenouncing Imperialism, and advothe overthrow of the Right, or "WBcryative wing, of the Kuomintang. "SP® n ese naval wireless message ■biaSi c n ! J , ow sa y s the expected reoj J** °| a 'l Japanese,, except the staffs ravSuLß"?? w nich are surrounded by Tv-. completed during the ' JwMjty-five Japanese have taken 5® the warship Bee. There are vfive warships at Hankow, three to-mnJi; ln ® Either, and three Icavo rooming escorting three Boppli^ eaTWrS are ta^lng communist aims denied. AM) a.Z. CAILB aBSOCIATIOX .) LONDON, April 4. P \u correspondent of "he Parilien" interviewed Mr Eugene aot ' that the revolution was y' one, though it was ' miW*? 3 * sle Communists were colli# iv? the Kuomintang Party inn.' ' nßt • fear Russian CommunJ Woi, ld always welcome in- ' »r iw 1 ! capital from all European 'countries, and the ffiSjgykt 'Government would protect

THE JOINT NOTE. NO AGREEMENT YET. (AOSI7ULUX A>-D X.z. CABL* ASSOCIATION LONDON, April 4. Official circles admit that Britain, America, and Japan aro at present not agreed upon the dispatch of the joint Noto to the Cantonese arising out of the Nanking outrages. The Australian Press Association understands that the three Powers have agreed upon the necessity of serious demands for an apology and reparation and even upon the nature of the reparation. "But Britain will not object to the presentation of identical Notes instead of a joint Note." The authorities further hint at the probability that the Powers are not likely to intimate the nature of the possible sanctions'or reprisals even m the case of non-compliance, reserving freedom of joint or individual action in this direction. _ Downing Street emphasises that the decision to- dispatch reinforcements is in nowise connected with the banking affair They will take several weeks to reach China. They are being sent in consequence of the Shanghai Defence Force Commander's desire _to have mobile troops available for dispatch to other parts of China if and when needed. This can be . taken as an intimation that the Cantonese northward sweep may ultimately necessitate the defence of British nationals and property in Peking and Tientsin. Official circles frankly admit that thev have 110 great faith in Marshal Chang Tso-lin's ability permanently to check the Cantonese advance south of the Great Wall,, but he is regarded as well able to hold Manchuria, whatever happens. . The latest news received by the Foreign Office shows that there is "no sign of abatement of the Cantonese hatred of foreigners. The most significant fact is that everywhere the antiBritish posters have been superseded by new ones, inciting hostility to "the foreign devils of every nationality."

A LABOURITE REBUKED. LONDON, April 4. In the House of Commons, Sir Austen Chamberlain said that though the situation in Hankow was easier, a furthor crisis was anticipated, hence steps had been taken to reduce the British community to a minimum. America was removing her residents immediately. He declared that when Mr Eugene Chen said that the Cantonese were not responsible for looting and murder he said what was contrary to established fact. Mr G. Lansbury (Labour, Bow and Bromley) asked whether a direct contradiction by Sir Austen Chamberlain of Mr Chen *8 statements was not a good reason for the dispatch of an independent mission to Nanking. Sir Austen Chamberlain replied, frigidly: "I do not consider it part of my duty, as apparently .you do, to disbelieve * every British representative."

NOTORIOUS QUARTER RAIDED. EXCITEMENT IN SHANGHAI. MEASURES AGAINST EXTREMISTS (Siphit "Suit" £-avic«.) (Received April sth, 7.45 p.m.) SHANGHAI, April 4. Volunteers and police were mobilised and surrounded and raided the notorious waterfront block of houses in the Honkew district. The r^ lice were hammering away at the houses while volunteers,- with machine-guns and armoured cars, held the streets. A force of 1000 strong, under _ an American volunteer officer, received the order: "You must allow none to escape. Use rifle buts first, but there must be no shootihe unless definitely ordered." They formed a double cordon round a block containing hundreds of houses in which the police believe extremists have stored arms and ammunition. Where th.? doors were not opened the police hammered their way into the houses or gained entry by nre brigade ladders. There was great excitement among the Chinese crowd. The search is stated to be part ot a programme for a rigorous cleaning lip >t of the Settlement preparatory to advancing the military defence lines into Chinese territory. It is understood that the latter project will certainly be carried out if the Powers' probable demands in connexion with the Nanking affair are not fulfilled. A threat to invade and take over the Chinese city in the vicinity of Shanghai may even be included as preparatory to any ultimatum sent in connexion with NanIcing. ATTEMPT TO CAPTURE AMERICAN STEAMER. (AOSTIUMA.V AND !I.Z. CABLE ASSOCIATION.) (Received April sth, 7 p.m.) SHANGHAI, April 4. The American naval guard aboard the American steamer Chinan at Chungking fired on and wounded three of a mob of coolies aboard a sampan who were trying to take possession of tne steamer.