BRITISH SHIP ESCAPES FROM CHINESE NAVY

Grey River Argus, 12 November 1949, Page 5

BRITISH SHIP ESCAPES FROM CHINESE NAVY

(Rec 10.10) HONG KONG, Nov 11. The British vessel Tsi'nan, which was intercepted by Nationalist warships at the mouth of the Yangtsrmside territorial waters last Saturday, has escaped. HONG KONG, Nov 10.

A British coastal vessel, Wosang was to-day attacked by two Chinese Nationalist planes at the estuary of the Yangt.se. The planes circled the vessel and opened fire with machine guns. The ship was not hit. The Wosang was intercepted by Chinese warships within China’s territorial waters last Tuesday, as she was making a return trip to Hong Kong after running the' blockade to Shanghai.

A Canadian Embassy official was travelling as a passenger on the Wosang. He yesterday transferred to the British Frigate Alacrity. The official is believed to be Mr Bruce Rankin, acting commercail attache a* the Canadian Embassy, Nanking. He it is understood, signalled the Chinese warship which intercepted the British merchantmen, pointing out that he is accredted to the Nationalist Government, and requesting, in view of his diplomatic status, transfer to the Alacrity.

The commander of the Chinese warship agreed and placed a boat at Mr Rankin’s disposal. The British Government has protested three times to the Chines? Nationalist authorities over the action taken against British merchantmen attempting to run the blockade of the China coast. Tbe latest complaint was about today's machine gunning episode.

The Nationalist official News Agency in a Taipeh despatch, tonight said that Nationalist Air Force planes were sent out. to-day to search for the commercial aircraft that went over yesterday to the Communists. The agency added that the news of the defections came as a complete surprise.'

The Chinese star in Hong Kong of the tw’o Nationalist/ air corpora tions. which yesterday lost 11 planes through defections. tdnipht announced their decision to transfer their allegiance to the Communists. Earlier, the Hong Kong manager of the China National Aviation Corporation and several of the company’s executives issued a statement Diedging allegiance to the people’s Government in Peking. On the other hand, the executive vice-president of the Central Air Transport Corporation to-day flew tc Taipeh to consult General Choc Chin-hou, Commander-in-chief of the Nationalist Air Force. This company is reported to have paid off its American pilots and other American staff. Captan James McDevitt . senior American pilot with the China National Aviation Corporation said tonight that the Amercau. p ; lots of this company had unanimously decided to slay with it and accept anv instruct’ons which came from the management.

A spokesman for the two cc m panics claimed that the decision to transfer allegiance was unanimous r both corporations ,although it is un derstood that a number of the Chinese pilots of the Central A" Transport have tendered their resignations. Th? Hong Kong staff c 1 ’ each corporation totals about 1000.