CHINA & JAPAN

Hokitika Guardian, 18 September 1937, Page 5

CHINA & JAPAN

CHINESE RETREAT FROM HEAVY JAP, ATTACK. {United Press Association —By Electric Telegraph—Copyright). SHANGHAI, September 16. The Japanese morning began a major offensive against the Chinese on Chskti Plain between Pekin-Han-kdw and Tientsin-Pukow railways. They claim to have captured Paochow and other strategic points, despite the fierce resistance of the illequipped Chinese. According to the Japanese the slaughter was as heavy ns the Nanyuan in the early days of the war.

Japanese accounts say that troops capturing Kuan swam the Hun river until the engineers threw a pontoon bridge across. The Japanese further north forded the Hun, and. captured the walled city of Kingsunchen. Other from Kiangsiang overwhelmed Fangsliansien, the Chinese Divisional Headquarters.

Japanese aeroplanes bombed Taiyuan, and set fire to the arsenal and military deßots. Others dropped pamphlets urging the Chinese irregu-

It is claimed that half a million rounds of ammunition and 5000 hand grenades were captured at Tatung.

CHINESE IN DISORDER

LONDON. September 16,

The Exchange’s Peking correspondent says: Unable to resist the Japanese sweep from Liangsiang, eight Chinese divisions, are retreating in disorder in the direction of Antingtfu.

PEKIN, September 16

Desperately Resisting the overwhelming mechanised equipment, the Chinese fighting in brilliant moonlight, failed to prevent the Japanese crossing thp Chuma river in face of a storm of machine-gun and rifle fire, in continuance of their southward advance on the sixty-mile . front in the rectangle bounded by the Hun river, Poring- Hrcf' v qy wcmwqf y river, Pekin-Pnotingfu railway, the Tientsin-Tsangchow railway, which lines hitherto were regarded as defensible flanks of the Chinese porition. CHINESE ATTACK FAILS SHANGHAI, September 16. The over-night Chinese attack to drive a wedge in the Japanese front at Hengkew, and recapture the eastern wharves to prevent further landings, did not succeed. The Chinese sortied in the unlighted street alleys, and there was hitter fighting with machine-guns and trench-mortars, whereunder the Chinese retired to their original positions. PLANES FOR CHINA U.'S.A. PREVENTS SHIPMENT SAN PEDRO, September 17. Sixteen aeroplanes, consigned for China,, have been unloaded here from the Government-owned ship, “Wichita,” in iv rsua M co of President Roosevelt’s order of Tuesday. The Maritime Federation had earlier prevented tlie re-fuelling ol the “Wichita.” FOREIGNER’S LOSSES. SHANGHAI, September 16. Official figures of the casualties in the .international concessions, except Japanese., are ]8 killed aid! 442 wounded by falling anti-aircraft ■ shells and 16,030 killed and wounded by air bombs. Taking advantage of Japanese permission, in view of the advance of winter, to recover articles of clothing from Hongkew, foreigners who had been forced to flee from there philosophically returned' under Japanese escort Girls who wanted to recover goldfish and Scots who pleaded that, the whisky was winter clothing, were disappointed, as were others, who pleaded to be allowed to bring hack grand pianos. ’ REFUSE TO SATL HONG KONG, September 16 Twenty-three members of the crew of the British steamer Severnleight, were remanded on a charge of alleged refusal to sail with a cargo of scrap metal for Japan. CHINESE OFFICIAL MESSAGE WELLINGTON, September 17. The Chinese Consul received the following cablegram from Nanking last night: With the Japanese engaged in consolidating their new positions. and Chinese forces strongly entrenching along the 50-mile front, stretching from Shanghai north station to Liuho, fighting around Shanghai has been ■ restricted to minor skirmishes during the last 24 hours. The Chinese are still holding [Kiangwan racecourse and the adjoining regions, these being the advanced Chinese positions. A Chinese official message states: Yesterday morning Japanese worships bombarded Bocca and Tigrisforts on the Canton river. Chinese shore batteries replied to the fire, damaging two Japanese warships. Chinese pianos assisted in the operations and bombed the attacking vessels, one of which was sunk.

JAPANESE CLAIM. OF LARGE CAPTURES. (Received this day at 10.-Id a.m.) TOTvIO. September 17. The "War Office claims Japanese advanced in China region twelve miles in twenty-four hours, and isolated one hundred thousand Chinese. CHINA PROTESTS AT AID TO JAPAN WASHINGTON. September 17. China has formally protested to America against the embargo on the shipment of arms to the Far Fast. It is understood that Wang told the State Department that China considered the embargo was imposed in order to aid Japan and injure China.