JAPAN ANXIOUS

Dominion, Volume 31, Issue 104, 27 January 1938, Page 9

JAPAN ANXIOUS

Soviet Intervention In China Feared MILITARY ACTIVITY Submarines Seen In Far East Waters By Telegraph.—Press Assn.—Copyright. (Received January 26, 7.30 p.m.) London, January 26. Soviet military and naval activity is disturbing Japan, states the Tokio correspondent of tlio “Telegraph.” Fear of Russian intervention in China have been revived. Newspapers fully report Soviet preparations. Travellers assert that they have seen numbers of Russian submarines in Far Eastern waters. The disciplining of the Red army and navy is reported to be most severe. Troops are subjected to rigorous activservice training dally. A message from Hong-Kong yesterday stated: A foreigner who recently toured the Soviet Far Eastern territory informed the “China Mail thin. Japanese reports of Soviet activities underestimated the position. lie declared that the Soviet maritime provinces are virtually on a war footing. A hundred submarines have been commissioned at Vladivostock, the coastline is being fortified and hundreds of warplanes have been assembled./ Spy mama is intense. HEAVY BOMBING Outskirts Of Canton Suffer London, January 25. The Hong-Koug correspondent . of “The Times” reports thta thd outskirts of Canton were severely bombed from the air in a search for the new Chinese aeroplanes. Several buildings, including the Italian Consulate, were damaged. , ~. A heavy bombardment was heard this morning at Nantau, just outside British waters near Castlepeak. The vessel which bombarded Nantau is believed to have been a Japanese cruiser. A landing was not attempted. It is believed that the object was to alarm the defenders of the Chinese fortifications. Tungshan survivors who have reached Canton report that Japanese aeroplanes on January 22 bombed and machine-gunned a motor-vessel which was towing two others carrying passengers on a river near Namheuug. A ghastly scene resulted, 100 persons being killed. A message from Hankow states that Japanese gunboats and Chinese aeroplanes engaged in fierce fighting on the Yangtze-kiang near Juhu. The adjacent bills were the scene ol infantry encounters and the slopes were strewn with dead. The Chinese announce the recapture of Hohsleu. A Shanghai message states that Mr. Orelsky, the newly-appointed Soviet Ambassador to China, while proceeding to Hankow by air, made a forced lauding at Ichtmg. The Japanese made an air raid on the town soon after bus arrival. A bomb exploded close to him but he was not injured. TSINGTAO FIRES Cost Japanese Interests £29,000,000 (Received January 26, 8.10 p.in.) _ Tokio, January 26. Japanese interest in Tsingtao have sustained £29,000,000 damages as the result of recent fires. PEKING GOVERNMENT Sino-Japanese Economic Commission (Received January 26, 8.10 p.m.) Peking, January 26. The Government is creating a Chin-ese-Japanese economic commission, under the chairmanship of the former Chinese Minister of Customs, assisted by three Chinese and three Japanese representatives. According to an earlier message from London, the Shanghai correspondent of “The Times” says that the Government at Hankow has protested against the new tariff schedule drawn up by the provisional Government of Peking in favour of Japan. It is a violation of China’s prerogative, and can have little effect to save Japan’s grip on the city. It is a flagrant discrimination jucoininitible with Japan’s opendoor declaration. CARGO FOR JAPAN Chinese Sailors Go On Strike (Received January 26. 8.10 p.m.) San Francisco, January 26. After a conference with the operators, the Chinese and British Consuls decided to remove 39 Chinese sailors from the British freighter Federal because of their refusal to sail to Osaka with a cargo of steel, on the ground that it would he used for ammunition to kill their countrymen. It was agreed to transport the sailors to China in another ship. The Federal will engage a new crew for the voyage to Japan. BRITISH SEAMEN Accused Of Trampling On Japanese Flag Tokio, January 25. It is reported that seven members of the crew of the British steamer Severnleigh, under charter to a Japanese firm, have been arrested for hauling down and trampling on two Japanese flags on January 22. According to a later message five of the arrested members of the crew of tlic Severnleigh have been released and have returned to the ship.