JAPANESE COASTAL CAMPAIGN

Dominion, Volume 32, Issue 232, 29 June 1939, Page 9

JAPANESE COASTAL CAMPAIGN

Britons’ Mass Meeting In Treaty Port

IN FAVOUR OF EVACUATION, DESPITE WARNING

What The Empire Would Lose In Yangtse Blockade

(By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright.)

(Received June 28. 10.20 p.m.)

SHANGHAI, June 28. A mass meeting of British subjects held today in the Foochow treaty port favoured evacuation,. though the British Ambassador urged the Consul to dissuade them because of the difficulty of returning once they left. The destroyer H.M.S. Daring is standing by. Eighteen Japanese warships are reported to be concentrated off Foochow, but the reported landing by infantry is not/confirmed, states a message from Chungking.

The Japanese Consul-General in Swatow today announced that foreign ships will be temporarily prohibited in the harbour because of the necessity of maintaining peace and order.

Official Chinese figures released in Shanghai show that, the British Empire will lose £5,743,000 yearly if Japan is allowed to impose a blockade, similar to that now enforced in Canton, along the Yangtse Valley.

JAPAN’S DEMANDS TO BRITAIN

JAPANESE CHARGE CHALLENGED

Indignities To. Britons In

Undisclosed Series Formulated

Tientsin SIGNED STATEMENTS ARE SUBMITTED (Independent Cable Service.) (Received June 28, 11.20 p.m.) TIENTSIN, June 28. The British Consulate has allied the Japanese to produce evidence in support of their allegations that the British are exaggerating and fabricating happenings at the searching posts. Signed and incontrovertible statements have been submitted to the Japanese Consul of indignities to Bidtons. Lieutenant-General Homma. adding to his earlier statement, said that while Japanese methods would lie more circumspect, restrictions would continue until Britain ceased to support General Chang Kai-shek and co-operated with Japan, even though Britain might retaliate. He maintained that Tientsin was not blockaded, but was merely subject to traffic regulations to curb anti-Japan-ese elements. It was not intended to hold up food, but inspections necessarily delayed its entry. Three Britons were examined at the frontier last evening, but only their shoes and socks were removed. NEED FOR CAUTION Reported Advice From New Zealand (Independent Cable Service.) LONDON, June 27. It is reliably stated in Whitehall that the New Zealand and Australian Governments have jointly advised Mr. Chamberlain that any retaliation against the Japanese must be a matter for the whole Empire and asked him to proceed cautiously. It is understood, however, that Cabinet is likely to decide on some form of action at tomorrow’s meeting.

WARNING ON TIENTSIN NEGOTIATIONS (Received June 28, 11.50 p.m.) LONDON, June 28. 'fhe British Ambassador in Tokio. Sir Robert Craigie. has renewed his request for a reply to Britain’s representations to the Japanese leaders, including the Minister of War and the Foreign Minister.

The Japanese Premier, after a series of conferences, decided to present to Britain a series of demands. Details are not disclosed. The Tokio newspaper “Asahi Shimbun’’ says that Japan has agreed to negotiate the Tientsin issue,'for which British and Japanese officials from Tientsin are going to Tokio.

Tokio today officially confirmed that negotiations with the object of ending the Tientsin blockade ate being held there. The British Con-sul-General in Tientsin, Major Herbert, is leaving for Tokio by the first ship. “The Times,” in an editorial says that if the present tension in China came to a war the long trade routes from Japan would be open to attack without the employment of very much larger naval and aerial forces than are already available in the East. The Japanese communb cations in China are also peculiarly vulnerable.

“There is an earnest hope here that a settlement will be reached with Japan, but the patience of the British public is not inexhaustible,” it adds.

DEMONSTRATIONS IN TSINGTAO .

The “Daily Herald” says that if the Japanese have reasonable suggestions these may well be accepted, but demands impinging on the autonomy of the .Concession are out of the question, as also are demands for the recognition of Japanese currency.

SHANGHAI, June 27.,

Britons arriving from Tslngtao. where their ship was delayed for four days, said that anti-British demonstrations occurred on the waterfront every day, and that an outsize effigy of Mr. Chamberlain holding an umbrella was greeted with jeers, shouts, and laughj ter.