FALLING BACK

Evening Post, Volume CXXIV, Issue 120, 17 November 1937, Page 14

FALLING BACK

CHINESE FORCES

DANGER TO NANKING

CAPITAL BEING TRANS-

FERRED

(United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph—Copyright.)

(Received November 17, 3 p.m.) LONDON, November 16.

A message from Peking states that the Japanese have gained the whole north bank of the Yellow River for many miles on each side of the Tientsin-Pukow railway. The Chinese have blown up two spans of the 4000----foot German-built steel bridge near the Ponang River, which may again justify its cognomen of "China'ssorrow," the defenders here having to withstand a tremendous Japanese onslaught from the north into the central plains.

The Chinese at. present are holding their positions on the south bank, to which they withdrew under General Han Fu-Chan. The Japanese spokesman declares that they were thrown thither helter-skelter. The Japanese will cross the river on pontoons and renew the assault.

Shanghai reports that the Chinese, after evacuating Kunshan, leaving the corpses of a Major-General and 5000 troops in the field, withdrew in the direction of Tsingpu. Their forces near Kashan are attempting to check the Japanese advancing across the lake area east of Soochow, from which the invaders are ten miles distance. The' Chinese report that their line, 100 miles long, between Chapoo, Kashing, and Soochow, is actively resisting the enemy, but there is little ground for optimism, the Chinese having been severely shaken by the succession of unexpected Japanese movements forcing them to fall back without using the strong ' positions previously prepared, thus necessitating new defensive plans , and fresh troops to make them effective. 800,000 CHINESE CASUALTIES. An unceasing stream of Japanese reinforcements is pouring into the Shanghai area, augmenting the troops to a quarter of a million. Colonel Watteville, a representative of the International Red Cross, estimates the Chinese casualties on all fronts since the opening of the campaign at 800,000. The Japanese are not interfering with importations of medical supplies. Admiral Hasegawa, following General Matsui's example, has contributed 10,000 dollars for relief- work at Nantao. / The Japanese captors of Taming, In South Hopei, turned back northward and scattered the 29th Army of guerrilla troops which threatened their communications. A message from Nanking states that the Government, realising the gravity of the situation, is transferring its offices from Nanking. ; i-^fThe -Ministries of Health, Foreign Affairs, and Finance, are to go to Hankow, the Ministry of Communications to Changsha, and the Executive Council to Chungking, which is expected to be proclaimed the capital. The military establishments will stay at Nanking to supervise the : fi6ld operations and promote the fortification of the city. General Chiang Kaishek is to remain in the capital, either to command the last stand or to attempt to save what remains to If: sal* vaged. -.■■•...-■.-.

• Lack of transport hampers the efforts of the foreign Embassies to transfer their headquarters. Thirty-eight Britons, 70 Americans, and 100 Germans will remain in Nanking.