AIR RAID HAVOC IN CANTON

Press, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22417, 2 June 1938, Page 11

AIR RAID HAVOC IN CANTON

♦ 1400 CHINESE MIXED IN BOMBINGS JAPANESE AEROPLANES SHOT DOWN AT HANKOW (CKITED PKES3 ASSOCIATION —COFTaIGHT-J (Received June 1,2 pan.) LONDON, May 31In a fourth raid on Canton, five Japanese aeroplanes at 9 a.m. killed 100 people and caused heavy damage in the thickly populated Honam district. The three days’ air raids have resulted in 1400 being lulled and 2100 injured. In an air battle over Hankow, the Chinese lost two but of 50 machines, but they shot down 15 of 54 Japanese aeroplanes. It is reported that 200 Japanese aeroplanes set off this morning to bomb Chinese towns. The fear is growing in Shanghai that a Japanese invasion of South China is imminent as a result of the attack on the Canton-Hankow railway. The Hong Kong correspondent of the Exchange Agency records an assemblage of numerous Japanese warships at the mouth of the Pearl ri -er, off the Kwantung coast. A cordial interview between Major-General Telfer-Smollett, the British commander in Shanghai, and the Japanese commander. General Hata, is expected to improve inane- ; diately the relations between Britain and Japan in the International Settlement. It is officially estimated in Tokyo that the Chinese, to May 24. lost 103,000 killed and 137.000 wounded in the battle for Hsuchow. JAPANESE REPLY TO CHARGES “CANTON NOT RECOGNISED AS DEFENCELESS” MILITARY ESTABLISHMENT* IN CITY (Received June 1, 11.55 |un.) TOKYO, June L Referring to the recent bombings of Canton, the Foreign Office spokesman (Mr Tatsuo Kawai) said: "The Chinese are denouncing us for attacking a supposedly defenceless city, but we spotted at least 31 emplacements of anti-aircraft batteries and 10 military establishments. “Hence Canton cannot be recognised as defenceless. Moreover, for obvious reasons, several such establishments are close to foreign property and another is dose to the Sun Yat Sen memorial . “Nevertheless, we are doing our utmost not to damage foreigners.**

JAPANESE VESSELS DETAINED WRIT AGAINST AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT DARWIN, June L A writ claiming £ 10,000 damages from the Commonwealth Government for the wrongful detention of two Japanese vessels has been lodged by counsel for the Japanese interests. * The claims arise out of the arrest and subsequent release of the sampan Seicho Maru and the mother ship, the New Guinea Maru. by the patrol boat Larrakia last June. , INVITATION TO OLYMPIC GAMES JAPAN SEEKS FOR FURTHER PARTICIPANTS TOKYO, May 3L The Olympic Reorganising Committee is reported to have apphed to the International Committee for permission to invite Manchukuio, French Indo China, the Straits Settlements, and the Dutch East Indies to participate in the Games.