AIR-RAIDS IN CHINA

Greymouth Evening Star, 16 October 1939, Page 2

AIR-RAIDS IN CHINA

HEAVY CASUALTIES CLAIMED. [BY CABLE —PRESS ASSN. —COPYRIGHT.] LONDON, October 14. It is officially stated in Chungking that three Chinese bombers wiped out an air field at Hankow, destroying nearlv 100 Japanese aeroplanes on the ground, after which they gave battle to chasers for 200 miles, shooting down three of them. The Domei News Agency states that 20 Chinese aeroplanes raided . H . an ’ kow, and dropped 40 bombs, killing 50 Chinese. No Japanese were killed, and the only damage was the ignition of petrol stored at a suburban airport. A report from Chungking states that 87 Japanese aeroplanes bombed four points in West China yesterday. Eighteen are reported to have wiped out a third of the population of 50,006 in Nanchuan. Huge fires are raging. Last night 36 aeroplanes bombed Liangshan, 18 f bombed Yuanling, ami 15 Chenci. The damage in these centres has not been reported. JAPANESE WHEAT SHORTAGE. WASHINGTON. October 14. - The United States Trade Commissioner at Tokio reports that the wheat shortage has resulted in the Japanese Government restricting wheat and flour exports to the yen bloc areas. If the control is effective, Japanese flour will cease to compete with Australian and American in North China and Manchukuo. GENERALS’ NEW POSTS. TOKIO, October 14. Lieutenant-General Otozo Yamada, former Commander of the Japanese Forces in Central China, has been appointed as Inspector-General of Military Education, and Lieutenant-General Korechika Anami as vice-War Minister. TRADE WITH U.S.A. TOKIO, October 15. General Abe, in an interview with Japanese-language newspapers, expressed tho opinion that it might be impossible temporarily to extend Hie 1911 commercial treaty with the Unitel States, expiring on January 26, 1940, but it might be possible to negotiate a new treaty, at least provisionallyIt is expected that, in view of the return of tho Ambassador, Mr Joseph Grew, trade discussions will be starting soon.