NEW DEFENCE LINE

Evening Post, Volume CXXVI, Issue 102, 27 October 1938, Page 10

NEW DEFENCE LINE

THE CHINESE FORCES

POLICY OF PROLONGED

WARFARE

REARGUARD FIGHTING

(By Telegraph—Press Association-Copyright,! (Received October 27, 1.45 p.m.) LONDON, October 26. A message from Chunking states that the Chinese military spokesman declared that a new line of defence has been established outside Wuhun and that China's policy is based oa prolonged warfare. The forces at Wuhun have resisted the enemy and inflicted heavy casualties during the past six months. The nation's man power is now being transferred further into the interior. The Shanghai correspondent of the "Daily Telegraph" states that heavy fighting is progressing as the main body of the Chinese are retiring south-west along the HankovrCanton railway. The rearguards are stoutly resisting Japanese attacks. Hankow reports that 10,000 Japanese troops landed today from SO ships in the Yangtze-kiang, after which naval and military officers jointly "occupied* the city. They were welcomed by a score of Chinese bearing a huge banner. Otherwise the city is practically deserted and virtually cut off. Some of the fires are still burning. The greatest destruction occurred in the Japanese Concession, which * -is a mass of smouldering ruins. Before the evacuation the Chinese removed a vast quantity'of portable goods which might have been serviceable to , th« Japanese, including factory machinery, pontoons, and even iron sewer covert. The Hong Kong correspondent of the "Daily Telegraph" says that the estimated damage to Canton is at least £100,000,000. The-.damage to the steel/ works and the arsenal at Hanyang and to cotton-spinning and other factories in Wuchang is estimated to exceed £30,000,000. British trade to China through Hong Kong has been at a standstill since October 15. War supplies are being shipped via Cacao and also to French Indo-China, whence it is dispatched through the province of Yunnan.