RESHUFFLING OF FORCES IN CHINA

Manawatu Times, Volume LII, Issue 3582, 27 April 1927, Page 7

RESHUFFLING OF FORCES IN CHINA

Chiang Determined to Maintain Order

NANKING ALMOST NORMAL AGAIN [British Official Wireless.] RUGBY. April 25. The United States’ destroyer •’Geary” was fired on by Chinese from Putting; near Kingkiang, on Saturday. Hostilities between North and South Chinese and the subsidiary civil war between the Hankow and Nanking Governments have taken the form during the last few days of a reshuffle of forces and position accompanied by a political manifesto and mutual denunciation. , Various reports state that General Chiang Kai-sheks adherents controlling Canton have ; suppressed an attempted- Communist outbreak there. In Shanghai where the situation re. mains quiet the Kuomlntang leaders at a gathering of Chinese Nationalists are stated to , have declared that as the Communists had been false to the three principles of Dr. Sun Yat-sen , and had attempted to dominate the party and force alien ideas upon China they must therefore be suppressed and • expelled.; . J; General Chiang Kai-shek has Issued a-fresh circular stating his Intention to maintain order and repress the Communist disturbances. The latest advidea from Nanking state that an anti-Communist pro- . clamati'on in the name of General Kaishek - has *en posted throughout the town where : conditions are now practlcally normal. The large buildings of the International Export Company are occupied by 1,500 troops who are stated to be behaving in an orderly manner. Looting has ceased. Firing is being exchanged between Leon Hill and Pukow across the river. LOOTING CEASED AT NANKING. MUST WAIT DEVBLOP'■V' ■ MBNTS. (Received Tuesday, 6.5 p.m.) LONDON, April 25. Thie outstanding points of a mass of official information received by the Foreign-Office are that the Chinese troops _ who occupied the Nanking warehouses have stopped looting and Chiang Kai-shek’s compliance with the consular request that troops should not enter the British Concession and Chinkiang.' • • Othevwlse official circles admit that it Is now a case of waiting for developments, which generally are taking a more favourable turn pending the Powers’ presentation of the reply to Mr, Chen’s Note , replying to theirs. U.S. CONSIDERING REPLY TO • . CHEN. MACMUBRAY’S FORM NOT ACCEPTABLE. (Received Tuesday, 8 p.m.) WASHINGTON, April 25. Mr. F. B. Kellogg. Secretary of State, has authorised the statement that the United States does not accept the form of reply to Mr. Chen submitted by Mr. Mac Murray. After a conference with the Diplomatic Council at Peking presumabily designed jto enforce the demands previously submitted to. the Nationalist Government the entire question of the reply is still under consideration. The United States does not consider it wise in view of the chaotic condition of China to take hasty,steps. Mr. Kellogg said he does not know exactly the attitude of each of the Powers and Is not sure that any country has accepted the proposals of the Diplomatic Council In its original form. He added he knew some countries bad not accepted it, but declined to name them. He concluded by saying that no Instructions bad been sent to Mr. MaoMurray to refrain from further conferences with other foreign diplomats at Peking. JAPANESE TROOPS HASTENING TO CHINA ■ 1 RUSSIAN ENCOURAGEMENT OF BANDITS FEARED. (Received Tuesday, 5.5 p.m.) TOKIO, April 25. V. The special service ship Murotoics Is hastening preparations to sail to Shanghai on Friday wl&a 1200 marines. Japanese Consuls in Manchuria report little danger from the actual Russian move in North Manchuria. Bui there is grave danger the Russians will supply arras to bandits and will encourage these to terrorise, loot and kill. This is the reason Japanese art? being evacuated from outlying regions. Bandit stands in many places are able to assemble 3000 to 5000 cutthroats sufficient to capture small cities. MANY CASUALTIES ON U.S. WARSHIP. (Received Tuesday,ll.s p.m.J" SHANGHAI, April 28, There were several casualties aboard the United .States warship “Penguin" as a result of firing from rifles, mac-.

hine guns and field pieces from the southern shore batteries about seventy miles up the river. The attack apparently was deliberate and malicious, and from the standpoint of casualties tho worst so far sustained by a United States’ vessel In China waters. OVER 2000 NORTHERNERS DROWNED. FUTILE ATTEMPT TO CROSS YANGTZE. t (Received Wednesday, 1.10 a.ra.) SHANGHAI, April 26, Two launches towing ten more boats full of Northerners attempted to reach the southern shores of the Yangtze near Nanking. A fort discovered them by searchlight and fired eighty shells, sinking the lot. More than 2000 were drowned.