RETREATING

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XVII, Issue 210, 19 August 1927, Page 6

RETREATING

THE NANKING ARMY NATIONALIST STAMPEDE TO SHANGHAI. INTENSE CONFUSION. Shanghai, Aug. 17, Five troop trams, carrying approximately 12,000 men, forming the vanguard of the retreating Southern army, are due to arrive at Shanghai before midnight. General Beit Sungchi, formerly acting commander of the Nanking Nationalist forces, arrived ahead of the troops, entering Shanghai accompanied by the chiefs of staff and a large retinue, indicating the complete withdrawal of the Cantonese element from the Nanking army, the majority of which consists of erstwhile Northerners who reverted to the Nationalists at the time of the occupation of Nanking by the latter. The international settlement authorities are adopting the usual precautions. The police have been trebled and machine-gun and armoured car units and volunteers instructed to be prepared if called out. The police are confined to barracks and the discipline of the British forces tightened. Passenger trains from Nanking and intervening stations brought in thousands of refugees striving to reach the safety of the settlements ahead of the retreating Nanking army. The confusion is intense. They brought reports that the booming of guns was audible at Nanking, which is being bombarded from Pukow. The north bank of the Yangtze is now occupied by Sun Chuan-fang's forces. Yangchow, the Yangtsze terminus of the Grand Canal, directly opposite Chinkiang, is also in the hands of Sun Chuan-fang. The Nationalist troops made no attempt to cross the Yangtsze. The Shanghai defences are being remodelled hastily at the settlement points facing the railway station, where the retreating troops are due to arrive to-night. Nationalist flags, which lately floated in thousands in the settlement, have now entirelydisappeared. The situation is so serious in Nanking that foreigners are hurriedly evacuating the city and panic-stricken Chinese are fleeing in thousands. British warships are concentrating at the port for the protection of British residents,

Sun Chuan-fang’s White Russian troops were responsible for the capture of Pukow. Armoured trains are preparing to bombard Nanking from acess the river. . The Nationalist’s are stampeding to Shanghai. Tlie Japanese are cooperating with the British in the defence of the settlement.—(A. and N.Z.) .