TERRIBLE AIR RAID ON HANKOW

Dominion, Volume 31, Issue 251, 20 July 1938, Page 11

TERRIBLE AIR RAID ON HANKOW

500 Chinese Trapped In Burning Theatre

FIRE STARTED CLOSE TO

ARSENAL

By Telegraph.—Press Assn. Copyright.

(Received July 19, 11.55 p.m.)

HANKOW, July 19.

Twenty-seven Japanese bombers, flying'high to avoid anti-airciaft fire, carried Out their biggest and most destructive raid on the Wuhan area to-day, attacking the aerodromes at Wuchang, Hankow and Hanyante, at the latter of which huge fires were caused, one dangerously close to the arsenal of Hankow. The city itself is believed to have suffered severely. A Chinese theatre was set on fire and 500 refugees were trapped.

A message from Shanghai reports that Japanese planes made a sudden landing on the Nanchang air field today ai..l set fire to five Chinese planes which were on the ground. The raiders escaped before the defenders had recovered from their surprise. . Japanese fighters engaged la Chinese airmen above Nanchang, shot down eight, and destroyed seven on the ground. They lost one machine themselves. EXPORT OF GOLD Paying For Japan’s Raw Materials Tokio, July 18. The Cabinet will consider to-morrow a plan by the Finance Ministry to export a portion of the gold reserve, now standing at £48,000,000, for the purpose of creating foreign exchange to purchase raw materials. The gold available represents the gain made in the revaluation of stocks during 1937. BRITISH INTERESTS Allaying Anxiety (British Official Wireless.) (Received July 19, 8.30 p.m.) Rugby, July 18. In an answer in the House of Commons to-day regarding British commercial interests in China, Mr. R. A. Butler Under-Secretary for Foreign Affairs, said that the most recent communication from the Japanese Government expressed readiness to take certain steps to allay the anxiety felt for British rights and interests. The British Ambasador at Tokio was continuing to press the Japanese Government on the subject.

CHINA’S DETERMINED

STAND

Resolution To Mobilise Entire Man-power - The following cablegram was received by the Chinese Consul from Hankow yesterday:— The People’s Political Council, after a conference lasting 10 days, and in a spirit of concord, passed a number of important resolutions. Yesterday the council adjourned and issued a manifesto containing the following three points:— (1) The Chinese people with unflinching determination must mobilise the entire man-power and resources of the nation in order to prosecute a protracted war of resistance to the invader until final victory is achieved. (2) The council hopes that hereafter all friendly nations will continue to render assistance to China, and use every possible means to render abortive the plans of the Japanese. (3) It is the will of the Chinese people that the power of administration should be vested in the National Government, and that Generalissimo Chiang should be recognised as the leader of the nation. The enemy’s motive in setting up puppet organisations is to deceive the nations of the world and to fulfil their ambition of subjugating China. “The Council solemnly declares that it will faithfully support the National Government, the Supreme Leader, and the basic policy in reference to the war of resistance laid down by the National Congress of the Kuomintang; and, on 'behalf of the Chinese people, it desires to express its gratitude to Generalissimo Chiang, to all officers and soldiers for their great sacrifice, to the brethren overseas for their patriotic support, and, last but not least, to the Governments and peoples of friendly nations for their sympathy with and assistance to China in her war of resistance.” Success on Yangtse. Referring to the fighting, another cable received by the Consul states: — Our air force yesterday bombed the enemy’s warships on the Yangtse River and caused considerable damage. Two warships were set on fire and three were seriously damaged. The enemy’s warships at Hukow repeatedly endeavoured to steam up the river, but, owing to our heavy gun fire from the shore, they were unable to make any progress. On the night of June 15 our torpedo boats sank two enemy warships. In east Honan, our troops recaptured Taikong and Clrenlieu, and in west Shantung, we recaptured the districts of Hotze, Chuye and Tingtao, the enemy- retiring to Tsining. In the vicinity of Peiping and Tientsin, our mobile units are gaining in strength daily, and they have recaptured Ningho and Paoti, only 60 kilometres from Tientsin.