ROWERS UNITED.

Press, Volume LXIV, Issue 19311, 16 May 1928, Page 9

ROWERS UNITED.

FORCES IN CHINA.

PROTECTION OF TIEN-TSIN.

(betosh official wibeless.)

KUGBY, May 14,

la the House of Commons to-day, Sir insten Chamberlain stated that the United States, British, French, Italian j Japanese have 8252 troops at Tien•fan.' Japanese and Italian forces were jlio being sent. /foe British Government had closely watched the situation at Tien-tsin and Aottldit be necessary to strengthen the British forces there, there would be i» difficulty in doing so. Insregard to the protection of British immunities generally in China, the Soreim Secretary said that normal precautions had been taken and there was • British warship at practically every «ort along the coast where there were )' jjritiifr subjects. "i jjplying to a further question, Sir "'■ ijjten.Chamberlain said that the Jap- .„. Government had informed the British Government of its decision to «nd 5000 troops to Tsing-tao. It was that the dispatch of the trMPS. was an unavoidable measure of Hlfjwotection by no means implying jjfriendly intentions towards China and w people, or interference with the _;Wjiy operations of the Northern or gnrfiern forces, and that as soon as rtj Japanese Government considered it jj'longer necessary to maintain the troops for the protection of Japanese residents in the affected area the troops would 'immediately bo withdrawn. Sir Austen Chamberlain added that he had expressed to the Japanese Charge d'Affaiies, who made this communication to.Um, his sympathy with Japan in trouble,with which she was confronted,/and he hoped that later information ffonld not confirm the terrible Meoimts of the outrages on the Japanese iJtfon, which, he understood, had been e»tained In the first reports. He also eipresfced satisfaction at the assurance tli| the troops would be withdrawn as as .safety was ensured. FALL OF CITY IMMINENT. Citation at shanghai. ' <Beceived May 15th, 7.30 p.m;)

SHANGHAI, May 15. The situation in the north is obscure, iwiiig to a total absence of news from that area yesterday, other than Nationalist'intelligence which claims that.Tientsifi is practically Burrounded. The Nationalists are approaching from three siAs, and the fall of the city is immin- ■ ' ent. '_, SocaHy, despite the Nanking Govgrnt 's prohibition, there is an agitation by students, who are endeavouring to create an anti-Japanese boycott which is likely to fail, owing to the reluctance of Chinese merchants dealing in Japanese goods to cut off business again. Jiug meantime the students are agitating for the formation of a students' training corps, for the purpose of the . iormation of an army, suitable eventusilly s fpr taking revenge on the Japanese for the.Taflnan-fu affair, and substituting a military training school for physical exercises, j :.; s . The Nanking Government's decision to dismiss General Hoya-ot'zu for his connexion with the Tsinan-fu outrages is officially stated to be unsatisfactory. Japan demands the severe punishment Of Generals Moja-otza. and, Tang Chenqu for Tsinan-rn/aiid Chen Tiao-yuan. for 'culpable cutting of the Kiaochbw-Tsinan-fu railway. The nature of Nanking's foreign propaganda and the al- ; legations* made in the appeal to the t League of Nations are also considered s an exacerbation of Nanking's original effence.—Australian Press Association. READY FOR DEFENCE. MEASURES AGREED UPON. SHANGHAI, May 14. The commanders of the International forces in Tien-tsin have agreed on the v. defensive measures to be adopted. The plan covers the stationing of a cordon seven miles in radius outside the tity. Japan 1b entrusted with tlie most important foreign properties. America ." bag 4000 troops, Prance 3000 troops, and ,3ritain 1000 troops occupying Tien-tsin. There are a score of aeroplanes and Ave tanks also. - „ Conclusive proof that the Southerners {latmed the Tsinan-fu attack is alleged v have -been discovered by the JapanJ" tse military in the shape of the min- " ntes of the-final meeting of General i Chiang Kai-shek and his staff officers : prler to the launching of the attack. ,'The most important items are: — pfwenting unreasonable demands, the Southerners shall cope with them by . of arms. '!s) Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek ! *^l i npt reply immediately to any Jl J%e ultimatum, but delay in or-counter-measures." !Miigscovery was reported by the J?f|Np Agency.—Australian Press As*%flon, United Service. ifirfrOßCES REMAIN SEPARATE.

'%'■ WASHINGTON, May 14. s 'ft* United States will probably join ftk'other Powers in protecting the 8000 fiwigners in Tien-tain if the situation tttfe becomes acute, instead of attempttofrto evacuate the 900 Americans now Nnawrt there, ana thus following the •Mm defensive plan as was effected ***n the Nationalists occupied Sh.angUi.

It is made clear, however, that the *BW "United States Marines, now in Kan-tain, will operate independently »4 will not become part of the unified •tonmana.— Australian Press AssociaUdl.

~/" GHINESE BANDITS.

HOLD MISSIONARY FOR RANSOM. \f: (Received May 15th, 7.30 p.m.) fe«* LONDON, May 15. ;X'|jQfficial circles are advised that banJj>'iJ» on the Yangtzse are holding for u;*«»6nv an Irish Roman Catholic mis,;"ohdry, the Rev. Father J. Lalor.and '"<s? emand ing 20,000 dollars for his :>ss]?tee.—Australian Press Association, ■.Pjjfeytl Service.