EVENTS IN CHINA

Evening Star, Issue 19521, 31 March 1927, Page 5

EVENTS IN CHINA

SHANGHAI QUIET CONDITIONS UNSETTLED UP-RIVER EVACUATION OF FOREIGNERS PROCEEDING. (British Official News.) Press Association—By Wireless—Copyright RUGBY. March 29. Thfe situation at Shanghai is reported to bo quiet at present, .although agitators snow considerable activity. It 'fi understood that French and American reinforcements are being sent forward. * The Southern Chinese Admiral Lo visited Admiral Williams yesterday. The situation up the yangtse is, uncertain and menacing. The British •authorities have decided to evacuate all the British at Ichang, on the Yangtse River, 165 miles west of Hankow, at Changsha, 100 miles S.E. of Ichang, and at Chungking, on the Yangtse River, 130 miles above Hankow. The women and children have already been taken away from these towns, and for the past few days the men have been collected in buildings on the river front. The present decision is not due to any definite new threat. The local Chinese authorities are being informed and advised that they will be held responsible for the safety of British property.' The British naval forces at these ports are the gunboats Mantis, Widgeon, and Teal at Chungking, the Woodcock at Changsha, and the Gnat at Ichang. Other information from the Yangtse is that at Chungking there is increasing extremist activity, notwithstanding the Chinese direction to suppress it. At Shashi the gunboat Cockchafer ordered Cantonese soldiers to disembark from a British steamer which they had hoarded when the gunboat arrived. The soldiers declared that they were only visitors. At Hankow,, where the river is rising, the strike is still unsettled, and the foreign hanks are closed. At Wuhu the women and children have been evacuated, and the men are concentrated in hulks in the stream.

A boycott is threatened, and the situation is uncertain at Kiukiang. As compensation is being paid for the commandeering of the British steamer Kiangwo. the arms and ammunition left on board have been returned to the Commissioner of Foreign Affaire.

Above Nanking firing occasionally takes place in Hsaikwan, hut the ships have not been under rifle fire, and the situation is improving; The Chinese Commissioner of Foreign Affairs, who has been appointed, expressed a desire to call on the cruiser Emerald, where the wounded British Consul-General and certain menibers of the Chinese Customs and British firms remain.

'Rifle firing at foreign ships below Nanking is increasing, especially at Kiangyin, Tungchow. and Vincpoint. MISSIONARIES LEAVING INTERIOR ANOTHER GENERAL STRIKE ORDERED AT SHANGHAI. SHANGHAI, March 30. . (Received March 31, at 1.30 a.m.) The vacnation of Anglo-American missionaries from the Yangtso Valley is gradually being completed. • Approximately 100 refused to leave. The remainder are either en route or shortly leaving. The American Chamber of Commerce at Hankow, which asked for additional protection, has been officially notified that it should evacuate. Intense activity is still being displayed by the General Labor Union at Shanghai, which decided to order another general strike at a date to be fixed later. BRITISH GOVERNMENT’S INTENTION. NO ABANDONMENT OF RIGHTS. HONGKONG, March 30. (Received March 81, at 1.30 a.m.) The Governor has issued a communication that His Majesty’s Government will give the fullest protection to Hongkong and the mainland territories during the civil war now raging, but that it has no intention of surrendering Hongkong or abandoning its rights of authority over any part of the adjacent mainland territorities under British administration.