A DAY OF TERROR

Evening Star, Issue 19518, 28 March 1927, Page 8

A DAY OF TERROR

THE NANKING INCIDENT PRESS CORESPONDENT'S STORY BOMBARDMENT SAVES SITUATION (British Official News.) Press Association —By Wireless —Copyright. RUGBY, March 27. (Received March 23, at 11 a.m.) The connected narrative of the events at Nanking is now available. Mr Ash-mcad-Bnrtlctt, the correspondent of the ‘Daily Telegraph,’ says that hy a prearranged plan all the foreigners should have concentrated in the International Export Company’s building on the Bund, outside the walls, where they could have been removed to the ships without much difficult} - , but in the general confusion which followed the entry of the Cantonese only a portion succeeded in reaching the building. The remainder made lor the second hill inside the walls of the town—rising ground visible to the warships in the river.

The moment of the departure of the Northern troops saw the Cantonese gunmen, long concealed in the town, come forth to loot and attack the foreigners. It is evident that Mr Giles, the British Consul-General, was wounded in this first rush on the consulate, which was protected by six marines from the warship Emerald. Shortly after the attack by the gunmen the regular Cantonese army entered the city and got completely out of hand, running wild and looting all the shoos and the British. American, and Japanese consulates. At 4 o’clock on Thursday afternoon the situation became very grave, for Irom the warships a largo mob which had mingled with the regular soldiers was seen advancing against the refugees on the second hill. A hasty consultation between the captain of the Emerald and the American destravors led to an instant decision to protect the refugees by a heavy barrage of shrapnel. This policy alone saved the lives of nearly 100 men and somo women, for the shrapnel kept oft the Cantonese, who had never met shell fire before. Taking advantage of tho respite, the refugees made their way through the tortuous winding streets to the only goto giving access to the Bund. Here they found British and American marines, just landed, who covered their retiroment to the ships without, so far as we know, a single casualty. From this moment all communication was cut off with the British and Japanese consulates.

Various reports and rumors stated that tho Consul was dead, together with Captain Spear and his escort, and that tho Japanese Consul had also been murdered. These fortunately have turned out to be incorrect, but Dr Williams, vice-president of the Nanking University, was murdered in cold blood in tho streets on Thursday afternoon. After the ships had put up an effective barrage General Pei Chen-wei, tho local commandant, of tho Cantonese, sent off to the Emerald an emissary demanding tho cessation of the bombardment. The senior officers of the British and American vessels replied that he must himself com© off and discuss tho situation not later than 10 o’clock. He failed to turn up, and the naval commanders wore now in a difficult position, for, although the majority of the foreigners were safe, ten British and about 100 Americans (reported to be missionaries) and their families remained somewhere in the city and their fate was unknown. Moreover, there were the British Consul, who was known to bo wounded, the Japanese Consul, whoso fate was uncertain, and their escorts. It was impossible to land a sufficient force from ships to storm the walled city, and it was likewise impossible to bombard tho military points in the darkness; therefore, after 10 o’clock an ultimatum was sent to Pei Chcn-wei ordering him to deliver all tho remaining foreigners on tho Bund by 10 o’clock on Friday morning; otherwise the commanders threatened to take most drastic measures.

During tho whole of these proceedings the warships wore freely sniped by Cantonese troops from both sides of the* river, ono bluejacket being killed on the Emerald. In the morning no reply was received to tho ultimatum, and no foreigners were handed over. Admiral Hough arrived in a despatch boat to take command of the American forces. Urgent consultations were held between him and the British senior naval officer, and tho American admiral was so impressed with the gravity of the situation that he cabled to tho American Commander-in-Chief at Shanghai that ho considered that if concrete action were not taken firmly and immediately tho lives of the remaining Americans and British subjects would be lost. He recommended the shelling of tho military points. Such action was approved jointly by the British and American Commanders-in-Chief at Shanghai, and a final warning to this effect was sent to the Cantonese commandant.

At 6 o'clock on Friday evening it was announced that Mr Giles, who was slightly wounded, and Captain Spear and the whole Consular party, including marines, who were also wounded, had been handed over by the Cantonese commander, and that the drastic action had been postponed.

EVENTS AT SHANGHAI

MASS MEETING OF CHINESE RETROCESSION OF SETTLEMENTS DEMANDED. SHANGHAI, March 27. (Received March 28, at 12.5 p.m.) The day passed quietly in the Settlements, though a huge mass meeting in the Chinese city .bordering the French Concession, which was attended by Chiang Kai-shek and Pi Ching-hsi, adopted a resolution demanding the immediate retrocession of the foreign Settlements in Shanghai, and advocating another general strike. The crowds afterwards made a demonstration in the streets, but no incidents are reported jn the border posts. -

Chiang Kai-shek yesterday requested and was given permission to jws;, through tlio International Settlement, to-day, but lie did not come. THE FRENCH CONCESSION QUESTION OF PROTECTION SHANGHAI, March 27. (Received March 28, at 12.5 n.m.) The French Concession is attempting to strengthen its boundaries. The foreigners residing in the Concession have petitioned the French Government to overrule the Consul, and ba\c requested further aid. The Consul previously refused the Settlement’s assistance, because ho did not want General Duncan to take charge of both the Settlement and Concession defences. It is now reported that the French authorities* unless the nosition improves, arc likely to accept General Duncan’s offer. It is also reported that General Duncan and General Butler (the American general) had a conference, and decided that if necessary for the protection of Anglo-American lives and property within both tho Settlement and the Concession they would be forced to take over the Concession. —Sydney ‘ Sun ’ Cable. POSITION LESS CRITICAL DANGER IH OTHER CENTRES EVACUATION Oh 1 AMERICANS ORDERED. LONDON, March 27. (Received March 28, at H. 20 a.m.) Tho Chinese mews received at Downing Street shows that tho situation in Nanking and Shanghai is less critical, mainly owing to the presence the British and other defence forces; but tho position of foreigners in other centres. notably Chungking, Ichang, and Changsha, is most precarious. Tho United States has ordered all Americans to evacuate tho whole area, except Shanghai, occupied by the Cantonese, including Hankow and Canton. Tho British authorities are leaving tho question of tho evacuation of Britishers to the decision of iho local Consuls, > ITALIAN REINFORCEMENTS, ROME, March 27. (Received March 28, at 11.30 a.m.) The newspaper ‘ Popolo di Roma’ announces that tho cruiser Volta and tho troopship Vonezzia, carrying 300 soldiers, are already steaming to Shanghai.

ATROCITIES PREMEDITATED STATEMENT BY REFUGEES SHANGHAI, March 27. (Received March 28, at 12.40 p.m.) The refugees from Nanking believe that the atrocities were premeditated, and have drawn up a statement declaring that the attacks on foreigners were obviously under subofficial control and directed against all, irrespective ot nationality. Many of the refugees arrived hero penniless. The majority had only the clothes they wore, and some were dressed in Chinese clothes, having been stripped to thoir underclothing. The statement says that, following on the Northerners’ evacuation, tlio Southernera began looting the foreign bouses. At 6 o’clock in the morning they entered the componds with fixed bayonets, firing as they forced their way in. demanding money and looting. They then called in the mobs to complete the vandalism. ,ln some cases foreigners who did not deliver money were bound and led through tho streets until ransomed by friends. Cantonese officers finally appeared and restored order. After the foreign warships had fired on Thursday afternoon and tho soldiers had kept order, the foreigners obtained a military escort or, accompanied by Chinese friends, assembled at the University, where they got into communication with the warships. After dark a military detachment was sent to the University, and the foreigners, in various vehicles or afoot, proceeded unmolested to the waterfront, where they embarked.

"The statement adds that the destroyers’ bombardment, instead of causing a loss of life in Nanking, was the direct cause of the rescue of the rest of the foreigners. Immediately the firing began the Southerners ceased looting and burning foreign property, and later the Southerners’ officials, under a flag of truce, asked for conveyance to the warships to arrange for the evacuation of the remaining foreigners.

PEKING NEXT

NATIONALIST MOBILISATION ORDER GIVEN THREE LINKS OF ATTACK. SHANGHAI, March 27. (Received March 28, at 1.10 p.m.) Even when the refugees from Nanking were escaping over a Gl.'ft wall by climbing down knotted sheets, the soldiers occasionally fired on them. Arrivals hero unanimously praiso the Chinese staff of .servants at the university, the coolies often running out into danger begging, borrowing, or stealing money to stave off the Southerners’ rapacious demands. Labor Union speakers concentrated against the Britishers, and distributed pamphlets. The resolutions summarised demand the return of nil concessions without conditions. They urged the masses to throw themselves on tho barbed wire entanglements, allow the follower* to walk over their dead bodies, and ; to storm the barricades. Chiang Kai-shek, interviewed, said that he was sorry that the warships shelled Nanking, especially tho American ships, as it would do much to cause misunderstanding of a serious nature among the Nationalists, who had thought that the Americans were well disposed towards them. The Nationalist troops wore never guilty of hostility against foreigners, “ but tho Northern propagandists use the old dodge. They dress theii troops in Nationalist uniforms in order to discredit us.; I have

strictly jnohibiled our forces from looting, hut your bombardment resulted ia the loss of many Chinese lives and houses, while no foreign houses were deliberately sot on fire, nor any foreigner killed by our forces.'’ Chian" Kai-shek added; “I am a military man. lam not concerned with the settlement, but I have already given the mobilisation order for tho advance to Poking. Wo have three lines of attack--first, seawards via Shantung; secondly, the Pukow-Tient-sin Railway; lastly, through Honan with Feng Yu-hsiang. who lias 200,000 troops, including jinny Russians. That is my programme. I will leave the diplomatic work, such as negotiations, to Mr Eugene Chen ”