SWATOW UNDER FIRE

Evening Star, Issue 23000, 4 July 1938, Page 9

SWATOW UNDER FIRE

HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE KILLED GUERRILLAS HARRYING JAPANESE FORGES Press Association —By Telegraph—Copyright SHANGHAI, July 2. In addition to scores of Japanese bombers yesterday killing and injuring 400 persons at Swatow, Japanese warships have begun shelling the city, and thousands are fleeing for safety. Japanese motor boats penetrated the Matang boom. The Chinese laid another at Hukow, 20 miles below Kiukiang, but the floods are minimising the effectiveness and are simultaneously retarding the Japanese attempts to travel upstream. A message from Peking states that the Japanese estimate that at present 250,000 guerrilla troops are harrying them in Hopei, Shantung, and Shanai, proving especially {stubborn at Nankow Pass.

CHINA'S WAR SUPPLIES BEING RECEIVED THROUGH INDO-CHINA. LONDON, July 3. (Received July 4, at 12.30 p.m.) The Tokio correspondent of ‘ The Times ’ says the Japanese agree that the munitions entering China from Hongkong and Macao are a mere fraction of the quantity from Indo-China and the land routes. The Chinese boast that they have enough accumulated for a year’s intense fighting. DECISIVE STAGE IMMINENT CHI ANG KAI-SHEK’S APPEAL. SHANGHAI, July 3. (Received July 4, at 1 p.m.) Chinese planes, raiding the Japanese river fleet at Anking, claim to have sunk 12, including an aircraft carrier and two destroyers, and have disabled 23. The Japanese claim to have brought down seven of 14 Chinese planes at Anking, besides sinking a Chinese gunboat. General Chiang Kai-shek has sent a circular to officers saying that although the hostilities are serious, terrain and man-power will be in favour of China in the decisive stage which is now imminent. Victory is certain if the civil and military officials co-operate with the people, augmenting the army.