JAPANESE BOMBERS

Evening Star, Issue 23349, 19 August 1939, Page 15

JAPANESE BOMBERS

FLIGHT OVER BRITISH WATERS VICINITY OF HONGKONG ISLAND STRONG PROTEST BEING PREPARED Fret* Association —By Telegraph—Copyright HONGKONG, August 18. Japanese bombers flew over British territorial waters in the vicinity of Stanley Peninsula, Hongkong Island. The shore batteries did not fire, but a vigorous protest is being prepared. Japanese overnight completed the occupation of the Chinese area along the entire border of Hongkong. IRYCQTT OF BRITISH GOODS ARRANGED STATEMENT BY COMMITTEE AT KAIFENG. SHANGHAI, August 18. (Received August 19, at 8 a.m.i The Japanese-sponsored committee at Kaifeng announced that a boycott of British goods has been arranged. It will confiscate all goods unsold ’before the end of September. ECONOMIC DEMANDS JAPANESE GENERAL’S OFFER. TOKIO, August 18. (Received August 19, at 8 a.m.) General Sugiyama, interviewed, said he was prepared to consider the return of the Tientsin military delegates to Tokio. if Britain showed sincerity regarding the economic demands. CO-OPERATION AT LAST MEETING THE FLOOD MENACE. LONDON, August 18. The Shanghai correspondent of ‘ The Times ’ says the British, French, and Japanese authorities at Tientsin are at last co-operating feverishly by erecting dykes to save the foreign areas from serious floods. The British Bund is’ already under water. THREATENING LETTERS BRITISH SUBJECTS IN TIENTSIN. TIENTSIN, August 18. A number of British subjects have received letters from the Chinese Youths’ Association threatening death unless they leave China. CURRENCY QUESTIONS BRITAIN ABANDONS DISCUSSIONS. LONDON, August 18. , (Received August 19, at 9.20 a.m.) The Government has decided that no useful result can be obtained by pursuing the discussions regarding Chinese silver and national currency questions on a British-Japanese basis. ■ If there are to be further discussions on these economic proposals arrangements must be made to take into account the views and interests of third parties. During the course of the Tokio discussions Britain kept other interested Powers fully informed of the trend of the talks, but the present decision was entirely reached by Britain alone. Sir Robert Craigie has communicated the decision to Mr Kato. ' I' CONFERENCE WITH GENERAL STAFF FOLLOWS TOKIO, August 18. (Received August 19, at 10.15 a.m.) Immediately after learning of Britain’s decision with reference to the currency discussions, Mr Kato conferred with Mr Arita and then with members of the General Staff, CONSULTATION OF POWERS ENTAILED ...... TOKIO, August 18. ’ (Received August" 19, at 1 p.m.) France fully! approves of the British refusal to discuss silver currency as purely a British and Japanese issue, and has instructed the Ambassador in Tokio that such questions entail a consultation of all Powers. THE WRIT OF HABEAS CORPUS CASE OF THE FOUR CHINESE. ' . (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, August 18. ’ (Received August 19, at noon.) At the Foreign Office, on behalf of Lord , Halifax, a service of summons was accepted for the writ of habeas corpus for which Mr Justice Cassels gave leave yesterday, following the ex parte application in London on behalf of the four Chinese prisoners at Tientsin; The procedure under this ancient British legal safeguard of the liberty of a subject is that, on the return of the summons, the merits of the application' are argued, and it is then decided whether or not a writ should be issued. The writ, if secured, directs the person having custody of the prisoners to bring them before a British court or release them.

Application on behalf of the four Chinese was made on the instructions of Miss Margery Fry, Professor Norman- Bentwich, former AttorneyOeneral of the Government of Palesand J<or(i Igsiowel, fl*

the China Campaign Committee. The refusal of the British Concession authorities at Tientsin to hand over the four Chinese suspects was the original ostensible cause of the blockade of the Concession by the Japanese. Following the establishment of a prima facie case against the four Chinese Britain directed that the warrant of the Chinese District Court should be executed. The present habeas corpus proceedings originated from the announcement of that decisision. SUPPING OF AMERICAN SENTRY PUNISHED. SHANGHAI, August 18. (Received August 19, at 11 a.m.) The Japanese army authorities state that the Japanese sentry who slapped Mrs Richards has been punished. THE ICHANG BOMBING SHANGHAI, August 18. (Received August 19, at 10 a.m.) The British naval authorities officially reiterated their contention that the Japanese bombed ships at Ichang on August 6. They declared t> at an officer saw seven bombs fall on British property ashore. Eight bombs scored direct hits on the steamer Kiawo. JAPAN'S POLICY UNCHANGED SITUATION NOT TOO BIG TO HANDLE. LONDON, August 18. (Received August 19, at 1.p.m.) The Tokio representative of 1 The Times ’ quotes a Japanese leader as saying that Japan’s attitude to the Tientsin talks is unchanged. Britain must be responsible for qlny untoward results due to the delay. The Exchange Agency’s Peking correspondent says the Japanese militarists attempted to inject a new element into the anti-British movement by declaring that the Communists were trying to obtain control. The Press correspondents were sceptical and asked whether the situation was out of hand. The spokesman replied in the affirmative, but added that it was not top . hi*,f or, ths.Japanese tq-iandlpj