OUTBREAK IN CHINA

Feilding Star, Volume 5, Issue 992, 6 January 1927, Page 6

OUTBREAK IN CHINA

ANTI-BRITISH MOVE MOB TAKES CHARGE. SAILORS REMAIN CALM EXHIBITION OF SELF-CONTROL (Ause. and N./i. Cable). London, Jan. 5. • “The British sailors axiß Marines’ behaviour during this' afternoon’s ordeal, which called for supreme patience under the severest provocation, i s the finest exhibition of self-control that I have seen” qablea Percival Phillips to thk> Evening News from Hankow. ,

HIS STORY The naval force from Munyolia Woolston and Be© reinforced the Hankow volunteers who Aver© holding the western barricade on the British Bund. The seamen faced the moU who w;ero anting under the incitement of anti-foreign agitators and were repeatedly edging near the barricade, which resembled a miniature fort, until they were a yard from the sandbags, all the time showering abuse and' stone* on the defenders. The Qhineso /rush reached the sandbags and by a* flank movement along the undefended foreshore nearly surrounded the post. The marines drove the mob back by a frontal attack. The mob retired pulling up wire entanglements.

Twenty members of th c . naval force in re-taking the foreshore were attacked with heavy poles. Two of them who lost their steel helmets w©re beaten on the head arid had to .sent to the hospital. It is feared* tlial they are fatally hurt.. Another fell and a Chinese seized his , rifle and layoneted him in tlie leg.

Lieut. Ellis, belonging to the Bee’s force was struck in /the 'face by. s todes and two volunteers were injured, . T]io Britisp authorities attempted to reach the Cantonese Government, demanding a. quelling of the rising but received the reply that nobody had authority to nut. Later four Chinese police arrived and’ feebly harangued the crowd, who continued surging around three sides of the sandbags, still abusing the occupants . Yet not a shot was fired add not a single mare lest his temper.

NOT TAKEN SERIOUSLY The Daily News says that , the Foreign Office a'oes not attach seriousness to the Hankow incident and it is not at present believed to be necessary to cxacuate the 800 British and 200 othe r foreigners. There will 'be no difficulty in. doing this in thd event of necessity owing to Hie presence of the three gunboats and many river craft. ■ , .