JAPANESE TAKE KIUKIANG

Press, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22464, 27 July 1938, Page 11

JAPANESE TAKE KIUKIANG

- CHINESE BATTALIONS ESCAPE SUPPORT FROM WARSHIPS AND AIRCRAFT SEQUEL TO THREE DAYS’ FIGHTING (united press association— copyright.) (Received July 27, 12.45 a.m.) • SHANGHAI, July 26. After three days’ fighting the Japanese captured Kiukiang. It is estimated that 200,000 Japanese, supported by warships and aircraft, swept over the defences. The retreating Chinese were subjected to shelling from the warships. The Japanese admit that the famous Chinese “God of War” battalions, defending the Lion Hill, escaped with their batteries. The next objective of the Japanese will be the mountain resort of Kuling. All foreigners have been ordered to evacuate. A Chinese spokesman states that the Japanese are destroying progressively all villages in the Yangtse Valley. The Japanese War Office states that the fall of Kiukiang means the collapse of the centre of the Chinese eastern line defending Hankow, connecting the Tapieh range with Nanchang. The Japanese are now crushing attempts to break their communications east of Hukow.

REPORTED TROUBLE IN MANCHUKUO

ARSENAL EXPLOSION DESTROYS MUNITIONS (Received July 27, 1.10 a.m.) LONDON, July 26. The Peiping correspondent of “The Times” says the belief that all is not well in Manchukuo is borne out by reliable reports of an enormous explosion in the Mukden arsenal on July 23. It is believed that the explosion was the work of incendiaries. Heavy destruction of munitions was caused.

BRITISH INTERESTS IN CHINA

IMPORTANT CONFERENCE IN TOKYO HOPES FOR SETTLEMENT OF MANY ISSUES (bhxtisq official wiueless.) RUGBY, July 25. A conversation will take place in the next few days between the British Ambassador to Tokyo (Sir Robert Craigie) and the Japanese Minister for War (LieutenantGeneral Itagaki) in which matters affecting British interests in occupied China will be reviewed. This was mentioned in an answer made in the House of Commons by the Under-Secretary for Foreign Affairs (Mr R. A. Butler) to one of a number of questions on Japanese action in relation to British rights and interests in Shanghai and elsewhere. One of these matters was freedom of transit for British merchant shipping on the inland waterways of China. As to the reopening of ioreign-owned factories in the occupied area inside and outside the International Settlement, and the question of the Shanghai-Nanking railway, the Foreign Secretary (Lord Halifax) had impressed upon Sir Robert Craigie the importance he attached to an early settlement. Mr Butler also stated that Japan, so far, had made no advance to a settlement of cases of assault by Japanese against British subjects in Shanghai, and Sir Robert Craigie was continuing to press the matter. He referred, in another reply, to reports that Japan proposed to take over all the existing Chinese-owned mills in the areas under Japanese control, and said that Sir Robert Craigie Jiad brought to the notice of Japan that there was a substantial British Interest in many of these mills. RUSSIAN ADVISERS FOR CHINA TOKYO, July 25. The Domei Official News Agency asserts that 20 Soviet military advisers have replaced the repatriated German officers at Hankow. Two hundred Russian pilots and engineers have also arrived there.