SHANGHAI HAVOC

Grey River Argus, 20 August 1937, Page 9

SHANGHAI HAVOC

CHINESE STAND HEAVY BOMBING Neutral Zone Proposal ARRIVES TOO LATE. [Aust. & N.Z. Cable Assn.] SHANGHAI, August 18. During to-night’s air raid, one bomber scored a hit on the telephone exchange within the British defence area. Another bomber hew over the Chinese positions at Chapei and Kiangwan, where buildings were blown up and fires started. A third plane dropped no bombs but caused panic among the inhabitants in the French concession, flying just above the rooftops. Both sides deny that th? plane which bombed the telephone exchange was theirs, but people who watched it from roof tops insist it was Japanese. Wednesday’s Fighting MUCH AIR ACTIVITY. SHANGHAI, August 18. To-day the Japanese aircraft were intensively active, and heavily bombed the aerodrome, arsenal, and docks at Lungchua. After the early Japanese Naval bombardment at Shanghai, Japanese aircraft renewed bombing strategic points from Chapei to Woosing, including the Chenju radio, linking China with the world. Shanghai experienced the first night attack to-night, Japanese bombers droning in the moon-lit sky, bombing Chapei, Kiangwan and Nantao. Buildings were set on fire. Systematic bombing on the part of the" Japanese, continued day-long especially in the north-station district. Japanese bombers several times pounded the Chinese lines at the Chapei and Kuangwan, diving daringly low before releasing the bombs. The Japanese heavily bomber Chenju on the western outskirts, wrecking the Chinese radio station and laying the village to waste. ARTILLERY DUELS. [Aust. & N.Z. Cable Assn.] SHANGHAI, August 18. Fires overnight at Pootung, Kiagwan and Chapei, have subsided. Japanese warships began the daily bombardment of Shanghai at 5 a.m., Chinese artillery replying. The duel lasted for three hours, then Japanese aircraft renewed bombing strategic points from Chapei to Woosing, including the Chenju radio. Thirty-three Japanese warships are now anchored in the Whangpoo j river.

A fierce duel between warships and Chinese artillery at Pootung, in which the Idzumo and other ships, stretching to Woosung, joined in. One shell set fire to the British cotton mills. Several fires are now raging. Chinese troops launched a fierce attack in the Yangszepoo area. Japanese defenders materially assisted the barrage from the warships. A fierce sixteen hours oattle in the city ended by the withdrawal of the Chinese troops who had xorced their way into the International Settlement, many being killed on both sides.

The Chinese claimed they had advanced in the Yangtsepoo district north-east of the city. Tney also claimed to have pressed back the Japanese in the section of Chapei which they have held.

Japanese warships began heavy • shelling at 7.50 p.m., in the direction of Pootung and Nantao. Japanese occupied the Broadway Mansions hotel, Shanghai’s tallest skyscraper, despite protests by the British management. FIGHTING IN THE SETTLEMENT, I Aust. & N.Z. Cable Assn.] ' SHANGHAI, August 18. The Japanese naval attache states that a brigade of Chinese penetrated a section of the International Settlement and attacked the Japanese cotton mills. They were driven off after a fierce battle, in which many were killed on both sides. The Chinese rejected a proposal for a neutral zone at Shanghai, contending that the English and Americans would not use force if the Japanese committed a breach of neutrality. Chinese authorities emphatically deny they intend to force a way through the French Concession to attack the Japanese rear. CHINESE HOPES. SHANGHAI, August 18. After another day of bombardment, bombing, explosions, fires-and street fighting in Shanghai, it is still impossible to say which side is winning, though Mayor Yui says the Chinese will have driven the Japanese back to their ships within a week. Rumours of an immediate _ food shortage are discounted. There is believed to be sufficient supplies for six weeks. - CHINESE ATTACK. (Aust. & N.Z. Cable Assn.] SHANGHAI, August 18. The Japanese warships opened fire on the Chinese, who reached the bank of the Whangpoo River. The firing | silenced the attackers. The Chinese again repulsed a Japanese attempt to land at Jukong wharf, with heavy Japanese losses. CHINESE SUCCESSES. SHANGHAI, August 18. The Chinese claim to have completely demolished from the air, the Japanese headquarters at Hongkew. LATER. The Chinese scuttled six Jap steamers blocking the river. Sixteen Jap. transports arrived at Taki. The Shanghai-Kwantientsin railway is choked with their troops and munitions. The six Japanese ships which the Chinese scuttled, blocking the river, included a 9000-ton ship. All the crews have deserted the vessels. THE REFUGEES. l*Aust. & N.Z. Cable Assn.] SHANGHAI, August 18. i Anglo-American refugees en route ‘to Hong Kong ran the gauntlet of

the Chinese trans-river bombardment at Whangpoo. , Two hundred and fifty English and American refugees, leaving aboard a tender, were caught between the fire of the Japanese gunboats and we Chinese shore forces. bluejackets with machine-guns, manned the sides of the tender, while camouflaged Chinese snipers and machine-gunners ashore tried to pick off the sailors aboard the warships busily shelling Shanghai. The refugees were nervous about the whizzing bullets and shells, but did not panic. One Japanese is reported to have been killed and one wounded, by a Chinese mob inside the French Concession. 1Q TOKIO, August 18. The Domei Agency says that Chinese fired on Japanese women and children refugees, who were awaiting embarkation. Many were killed and wounded. British Plan PROPOSAL TO COMBATANTS. TO EXCLUDE FIGHTING FROM SETTLEMENT. LONDON, August 18. . In connection with the Shanghai situation, it is understood tne British view of the essentials of any scheme for the isolation of the international settlement from the theatre of the Sino-Japanese hostilities are: First: Mutually agreed exclusion of Japanese and Chinese military and Naval forces from a zone including and surrounding Shanghai. Secondly: To give confidence to Japanese for the safety of their nationals on the one hand, and to the Chinese against the use or the international settlement as a military base on the other hand; also that the protection of Japanese "in Shanghai should be entrusted to other foreign contingents in the settlement. Britain, France and the. United States are continuing arrangements for the evacuation of their nationals, and at the meeting of tne British Ministers in London, it was agreed that efficient measures should be taken to ensure the safety of British nationals, who for business reasons, 'are unable to leave Shanghai. LONDON, August 18. It is well understood that any project to exclude Shanghai from the war zone will throw great responsibility on the European Powers and America, as extensive guarantees would be demanded by the Japanese, and the reinforcement of European troops might be necessary.

JAPAN'S ATTITUDE. The Domei Agency indicates that well-informed quarters in Tokio do not believe Japan will agree to a simultaneous Chinese-Japanese withdrawal on a mere oral third-party guarantee that pressure would be exerted to make the Chinese carry out their side of the withdrawal,. ; U.S.A. NOT HOPEFUL. WASHINGTON, August 18. ■ The Secretary of State, Senator Hull, was not disposed to discuss the reported British plan for inducing Japan to withdraw from Shanghai, ' in return for which England, France and the United States would protect Japanese residents there. The United States experts believe ■ that the trouble has developed too far to enable the plan to succeed. JAPAN’S OBJECTION TO THE PLAN. (Received August 19, 9.10 p.m.) LONDON, August 19. Japan declares that the British proposal re a neutral zone, bristles with difficulties, and especially in regard to having definite assurances that Jap- ' an’s nationals would be adequately safeguarded. The protection of the Japanese interests in the International settlement must, therefore, for the time being at any rate, remain with the Japanese Naval and Military authorities. JAPS LEAVE CANTON. (Received August 19 at 8.40 p.m.) SHANGHAI, August 19. All Japanese residents in canton are being evacuated to Hong Kong. CHINA AGAINST BRITISH PLAN. fAust. & N.Z. Cable Assn.] (Rec. August 19, 9.10 p.m.) LONDON, August 19. The latest messages from China‘and Japan hold out little hope of a successful issue to the negotiations on the British Government’s proposal for a neutral zone at Shanghai to be protected by an international force. China, it is reported, will reject the proposal, because she is convinced that any British, American and French troops who would occupy the zone never use force in the event of a Japanese breach of its neutrality. BRITISH INTENTION. NOT TO ABANDON THE SETTLEMENT. (Received August 19, at 9.20 p.m.) LONDON, August 19. The Daily Telegraph’s diplomatic correspondent says: Whatever happens, the British Government will never completely evacuate the Shanghai International Settlement, as to do so would irreparably damage British prestige throughout the Far East. BRITISH REINFORCEMENTS. [Aust. & 'N.Z. Cable Assn.] LONDON, August 18. “The Times” says: “In 1927, China was in the throes of civil war. There was no fighting, but there were strikes. Communist propaganda had inflamed almost all native sections. When National troops entered Shanghai, the natives’ quarters .were given over to massacre and pillage, and only the strong force of British soldiers prevented the rabble of panicstricken soldiery from over-running the international settlement. Great Britain in 1927 merely did what she is doing now. She sent reinforcements to safeguard life and’property, and the presence of reinforcements had a calming effect.” BRITISH VIEWS. RUGBY, August 18. At yesterday’s meeting of British 1 Ministers, at the Foreign Office, at ' which all possible measures to pro- ' tect British lives and interests at Shanghai were decided- upon, wider questions affecting the issues involved in the Far Eastern situation were also considered, with particular reference to the position at Shanghai. Newspaper reports which have ap- ■ peared in certain quarters, regarding •Ithe nature of the decisions taken in

this respect, however, are premature. With reference to the comparison which was drawn in the statement issued by the Japanese Foreign Office, between the present Japanese operations at Shanghai, and the British action in 1927, when a division was sent to Shanghai to protect British interests, the newspapers point out that there is in fact no analogy. In 1927, British interests were in danger from an attack from disorganised Chinese soldiery. Sufficiently large forces to prevent their entry into the settlement were ’dispatched, and the British Government were careful not to use their forces, either for aggression or for political purposes. The result of this policy afforded, it is claimed, testimony of its wisdom. The present position, on the other hand, is that the Japanese in Shanghai are menaced by an attack from organised Chinese armies. If there were no Japanese troops in Shanghai, it is very unlikely that such an attack would be made. Any danger to Japanese residents arising from the chronic ill-will of the Chinese population could have been met with extra police precautions, and by special measures, with which other Powers would have been only too glad to act in concert.

BRITISH FORCES IN CHINA. 10,000 NEXT WEEK. (Received August 19, 8.45 p.m.) SHANGHAI, August 19. With the arrival at Shanghai of the First Battalion of the Royal Ulster Rifles, and with the arrival at Hongkong, next week, of the First Middlesex Regiment, there will be ten thousand British troops in China. Chinese Abroad APPEAL FOR THEIR AID (Received August 19 at 8.46 p.m.) NANKING, August 19. The Chinese Government has appealed for all Chinese aviators abroad to return to China, and also for assistance from the Chinese living abroad. COMMERCIAL SIDELIGHTS. LONDON, August 18. Stock markets are firmer owing to bear-covering- Operators showed a willingness to buy back stock. Far Eastern issues are still nominal. British shipping lines are refusing or discouraging cargo for Shanghai, and a movement is in progress for a joint decision for omission of calls to Shanghai. It is estimated that a hundred thousand tons of cargo is at present en route to Shanghai. Diversions are already causing congestion in Hong Kong. TOKIO, August 18. While Japan planned to buy 800,000 bales of wool, including 500,000 from Australia, in the coming season, “Asahi Shimbun” forecasts the total will be fifty to a hundred thousand fewer, due to the Chinese situation.

PORTUGAL’S ARMS COWTRACT. NOT CARRIED OUT BY CZECH , GOVT. LISBON, August 19. The Portuguese Government has severed diplomatic relations with the Government of Czechoslovakia according to the Exchange’s Lisbon correspondent, who states the reason of the break is the Czech Government’s alleged failure to fulfil the contracts to supply arms for Portugal. A Vienna cable states the Chinese Finance Minister, Doctor Kung, recently visited Prague, and concluded there a ten million sterling credit with the Skoda Steelworks (the big Czechoslovakia armament concern).