POSITION OF TROOPS

Evening Post, Volume CXIII, Issue 49, 28 February 1927, Page 9

POSITION OF TROOPS

CHINESE EMBROILED

AWKWARD POSSIBILITIES

SHANGHAI, 25th February

British troops are to-day in the line —that is, they are occupying the defence line outside the International Settlement boundaries, tho maintenance of which is regarded as indispensable for the defence of the city. This action was taken on the request of the Municipal Council, made in view of tho situation which is being created by tho arrival of increasingly large 'numbers of Chinese troops from the north. The defences of both foreign settlements on their actual boundaries are being further strengthened. It is expected that the American and Japanese quotas of tho defence will be in line soon. The Italians are occupying their particular sector. The Shantung troops, who have a .bad reputation for behaviour, are nioro truculent than Sun's, and already there have been clashes between the two on the settlement border. So far they have not been serious, but they foreshadow unpleasant possibilities. About four thousand foreign nationals reside in the area 3ceupied by the British troops outside the settlement proper. - Heavy rain has been falling all day aud most of the country is a quagmire. The general situation is comparatively quiet. In the course of a proclamation Chang Tsung-chaug blames 00111111111113111 for China's chaos, and says he purposes its extermination. He refers to" Chiang Kai-shek as a merciless robber and a brutal beast.