AMERICAN WARSHIP

Grey River Argus, 14 December 1937, Page 5

AMERICAN WARSHIP

SUNK BY JAPANESE Near Nanking EIGHTEEN LIVES BELIEVED LOST [Aus. & N.Z. Cable Assn.] (Received December 13, 5.5 p.m.) SHANGHAI, December 13. The United States gunboat Panay was bombed and sunk in the Yangtse River near Nanking. There were 115 aboard, including many refugees. It is feared that there are only fiftyfour survivors. Commander J. J. Hughes, of the Panay, suffered a broken leg. Mr George Acheson, Secretary to the United States Embassy, who ,was aboard the Panay, was rescued unhurt. Japanese are believed to have been responsible for the sinking. (Received December 13, 7.55 p.m.) SAN FRANCISCO, December 12. The Naval Headquarters’ version of the incident is that the United States gunboat Panay was sunk 221 miles above Woosung on the Yangtse, in Central China. They added: "We cannot tell how many were wounded, and do not know if any were killed.” SURVIVORS IN DANGER. WASHINGTON, December 13. The U.S.A. Ambassador at Shanghai, Mr Johnston, informed the State Department that the survivors from the Panay and the Standard Oil Company’s tankers were marooned at Hoshien when Japanese attacked the town, but the strongest possible protest was made. Thereupon the attack ceased. AMERICAN OFFICIALS. SURPRISED BY THE INCIDENT(Received December 13, 9.40 p.m.) WASHINGTON, December 13. As indicating the seriousness of the Panay bombing, the State Department, although it was Sunday, opened immediately. Senator Hull (Secretary of State) said that he hoped to assemble the facts speedily. _ ) It was indicated that the United] States Government would await the; complete details before deciding on anv action. (Received December 13, 11.40 p.m.) WASHINGTON, December 13. American-Japanese relations are more strained than at any time during many years over the attack on the Panay and the Standard Oil Com- j pany tankers. Officials of the State ■ Department were stunned by what 1 they regarded as the most serious attack on the United States flag since the Chinese conflict began. It is understood that the Administration Executives will not be satisfied with apologies and regrets, while a number of members of Congress have already declared that the United States should demand full satisfaction. One foreign diplomat here said that the Panay incident might prove a turning point in Japan’s undeclared war on China, creating a possibility / of democratic nations, especially Britain and the United States, co-operat-ing to halt Japan’s activities in China. Meanwhile, it is believed that copies of official dispatches concerning the Incident will be delivered at White/ House immediately. I

Three U/S.A. Steamers ajso Sunk BELONGING TO OIL TRUST. (Received December’ 13, 9.40 p.m.) WASHINGTON, December 13. The Standard Oil Company had vessels nearby the Panay, and they are also reported to have been sunk. They were the Meiping, the Meisha, and the Meian. (Received December 13, 10.30 p.m.) WASHINGTON, December 13. The U.S. Ambassador to China, Mr Johnson, has notified the State Department that the Panay and three Standard Oil Company steamers, loaded with refugees, were bombed and sunk. The number of casualties is not known. . Survivors totalled fifty-four, including two secretaries and a clerk attached to the American Embassy. (Received December 13, 9.50 p.m.) SHANGHAI, December 13. Fifty-four survivors from the Panay were landed at Hoshien, above NanH.M.S. Bee and the United States gunboat Oahu proceeded at full speed to Hoshien to bring the survivors to Wuhu. but it was later reported that the Oahu’s efforts to reach the survivors were hindered by a rain of bombs and shells along the Yangtse. SUNK BY JAPANESE PLANES. SHANGHAI, December 13. A later message confirms that , it was Japanese planes that *ank the Panay. The Panay replied to the planes with her anti-aircraft guns before she sank. 72 on Board EIGHTEEN MISSING. (Received December 13, 10.10 p.m.) SHANGHAI, December 13. The Panay was serving as a floating American Embassy. It is now believed that the vessel had seventy-two persons aboard, of whom eighteen are missing. There were three Standard Oil Company’s tankers, the Meiping the Meisha, and the Meian,. sunk by Japanese bombs. An executive officer, Lieutenant A. F. Anders, was among those wounded. One American sailor was killed. Lieutenant-Commander J. Hughes, of the Panay suffered a broken leg. Two newsreelmen, several journalists, and members of the staff of the Italian Embassy were also aboard the Panay. Twenty of the survivors are reported to have been wounded, some seriously. Congressmen’s Views U.S.A. GUNBOATS SHOULD WITHDRAW TO AVOID WAR DANGER Received December 13, 10.40 p.m.) WASHINGTON. December 13. L The Navy Department has begun

an inquiry into the Panay incident. In the United States House Representative Fish demanded the immediate withdrawal of the United States gunboats from Chinese waters, and he also issued a warning against hot tempers, which might provoke war. ‘‘We must remain cool, and must not lose our heads,” he said. Representative Maverick said: “We must immediately adopt a policy, preferably one of strict neutrality. We should learn that it is about time to mind out own business.” Senator Capper said that it. was a grave matter, requiring a full explanation, but America should immediately withdraw her gunboats, so as to avoid any further complications. “We do not want war with Japan and China,” he said.

DEMAND FOR REPARATION URGED. (Received December 13, 10.30 p.m.) WASHINGTON, December 13. Commenting on the Panay incident, Senator Conally said the State Department should take prompt action to demand full reparations and an apology from the Japanese if they were responsible. Japs Fire on British Ships IN VICINITY OF NANKING. LONDON, December 12. A Japanese field battery fired on. His Majesty’s ships, Ladybird and Bee, at Wuhu. One bluejacket was killed. Flag Captain O’Donnell and a bluejacket were wounded. There were four direct hits on the Ladybird. The Ladybird was anchored at the Asiatic Petroleum Company’s installation, but had got under way when the Japanese opened fire and was fired at until out of range. The Bee was just arriving at Wuhu from farther up the river, when attacked, but was not hit. SHANGHAI, December 12. When Mr. Brune Fraser and Flag Captain G. O’Donnell, the last named slightly hurt, went ashore, and protested to Colonel Hashimoto, against firing on British gunboats, he replied that he had orders to fire on every ship in the river, but admitted that firing on. tne British craft was a mistake. Japanese planes attacked the concentration of British shipping two miles up the Yangtse from Nanking, including H.M.S. Scarab and H.M.S. Cricket, which returned the fire, There were no casualties. HANKOW, December 12. The Sui Wo, 2,672 tons, owned by the Tndo-China Steam Navigation Company, suffered a direct hit during the Japanese attack on the British shipping at Wuhu. Butterfield and Swire’s vessel, the Tsingtah, carrying Mr. Prideaux Brune, British Consul at Nanking, and Lieuten-ant-Colonel Lovat Fraser, Naval Attache, was also fired on by the Japanese, but there are no details of the Incident. OTHER FOREIGNERS ATTACKED. SHANGHAI, December 13. A Consular investigation is being made at Shanghai into the incident last Saturday, when Japanese fired on a launch flying a German flag near Kiangnan. Japanese, it is alleged beat up the Swiss commander of the launch Jean Contesse for refusing to go aboard a Japanese tug. BRITISH REPRESENTATIONS TO JAPAN. TOKIO, December 13. The British Ambassador here, Sir Robert Craigie, called at the Foreign Office, and directed attention to the seriousness of the attack against the British warship, cabled yesterday.

Landing on Hong Kong BY JAPANESE TROOPS. CHICKENS STOLEN! HONG KONG, December 13. It is officially announced that thirty armed Japanese have landed on British territory in tne north-west ot Hong Kong Island from a destroyer. Tfle Japanese pursued some Chinese junkmen. They also raided a farm and stole some chickens.