NORTH JOINS ISSUE

Northern Advocate, 6 April 1927, Page 5

NORTH JOINS ISSUE

HEAVY ENGAGEMENTS

CAPTURE OF KWANTIEN

(United Press Association —Copyright.) (Received 9 a.m.) SHANGHAI, April 5. The Nationalist thrust towards the Yellow River is now meeting with resistance from the Northerners, who counter-attacked on April 3 and 4 and captured Nwantien after heavy fighting. The Nationalists are rushing up reinforcements. Two hundred wounded have arrived in Nanking.—A. and N.Z.

LABOUR DELEGATION

,STIRRING UP STRIFE. IMPERIAL OVERTHROW PREACHED. (Received 9 a.m.) SHANGHAI, April 5. The arrival at Honkew from Uanton <of the International Labour delegates, Messrs Mann, Browder and Woriot, has prompted a revival of anti-foreign demonstrations. The delegates, including Russian .speakers, addressed a huge mass meeting, denouncing Imperialism >and advocating .the overthrow of right of the Conservative wing of the KuominTtang. —A, and N.Z. OUT OF HAND. HANKOW RABBLE. .JAPANESE RETALIATE. (Received 9 a.m.) SHANGHAI, April '4. A ■serious situation has developed Hankow, necessitating the.evacuaifion 'of Japanese residents, following a ' mob attack on marines. Hordes of labourers stormed the Japanese concession, necessitating the landing of Japanese marines, who drove out the mob.

The clash resulted in the deaths of seven Chinese and injuries to a numTjer of marines. Five Japanese and five marines were carried off by the -mob and their whereabouts is unTnrown. A mafine was later found dead and mutilated, floating in the fiver. The Chinese surrounded the concession, but were held back by the marines. 'The Japanese admiral refused •a request by the Chinese authorities •to withdraw the marines, following ■which Chinese guards of the Eighth .Army surrounded the concession to ■Check the mobs, but instead fired on the marines. Two destroyers and 'cruisers have been dispatched to HanIcow to assist in the evacuation, but later reports state that the . mob is ■getting ou of hand. A Japanese naval wireless from Hankow says it is expected that the evacuation of all Japanese, except the staffs of two firms which are ■surrounded by pickets, will be com--pleted during the day. Twenty-five Japanese have taken refuge on the ■warship “Bee. 'There are already five warships at Hankow and three others are hastening thither. Three leave tomorrow morning, escorting three Japanese steamers which arc taking food sup-plies.—-A. and N.Z.

ANARCHY IN NANKING.

BOXER HORRORS RECALLED,

FOREIGNERS AGHAST.,

SHANGHAI, April 4,

The situation generally is most 'disturbing. Reports from all parts of the country tell of uprisings and outrages against all classes of foreigners 1 lives and property, despite the presence of large international military and naval forces. The trouble .appears temporarily to have reverted 4o Hankow and the river ports, and •threatens to spread northwards to the -treaty ports.

Chang Tso-lin is desperately warding with the Cantonese in Anwhei ■province to stem the Bed tide, but his •victories are counterbalanced by the ■activities of plain-clothes agitators striving for a repetition of the Nan"king outrages at Peking, Tientsin and other places where foreigners are .(Congregated. Evacuation continues everywhere.

Eater details of the Nanking outrages equal the horrors of the Boxer rebellion. These were mainly committed by uniformed coolies upon white women and girls, principally American, and Japanese women. Reports of these and other indecencies have aroused the indignation of foreigners throughout China to a high pitch of fury.'

STEAMER RUSHED,

. T COOLIES TAUGHT BEHAVIOUR. SHANGHAI, April 4, An American naval guard aboard the American steamer Chinan, at Chungking, fired on and wounded / three of a mob of coolies aboard a V sampan, who were frying to take possession of the Steamer.

DEFENCE EXTENSION

PREPARATORY CLEARANCE

•SEARCH FOR MUNITIONS,

SHANGHAI, April 4,

EMERGENCY PROVISION

ALL AMERICANS IN NORTH,

(Received 10.8 a.m.)

WASHINGTON, April 5.

ADVISED TO WITHDRAW,

TO PLACES OF SAFETY.

(British Official Wireless.) (Received 1 p.m.) RUGBY, April 4,

NATIONALIST THRUST CHECKED

Volunteers and police were mobilised and surrounded and raided a notorious waterfront block of houses in the Honkew district. The police were hammering away at the houses, while volunteers with machine gnus and ar-

moured cars held the streets. A force lof 1000 strong, under an American ■volunteer officer, received the order: “ You must allow none to escape. Use your rifle butts first, but there must be no shooting, unless you are dofij riitely ordered. ’ ’ A double cordon was j formed round the block, which con--5 tains hundreds of houses, in wdiich the police believe extremists’ arms and ammunition were stored. Where the

doors were not opened, the police hammered a way into the houses, or gained entry by fire brigade ladders. There was great excitement among the Chinese crowd. The search is stated to be part of a programme for a vigorous cleaning up of the settlement, preparatory to advancing the military defence lines into Chinese territory. It is understood that the latter project will certainly occur if the Powers’ probable demands in connection with the Nanking affair are not fulfilled. The threat to invade and take over the 'Chinese city in the vicinity of Shanghai may even be included as preparatory to any ultimatum sent in connection with Nanking.

CONCENTRATION AT TIENTSIN.

Cabinet has decided to concentrate at Tientsin, in case of emergency, all Americans in Northern China. They will be protected there as refugees from Central China are now protected by American forces at Shanghai.—A. and N.Z.

’British -subjects in the interior of China, in places where disturbances were to be anticipated, had been advised from time to time ever since November last to withdraw to a place of safety.

This advice had been repeated as ■occasion arose by British Consuls and ’had been extended to further districts when necessary. In a continuous process of this nature it was not possible do give a series of exact dates, but on March 26 British Consular officers at Ningpo, Swatow, Foochow, Chingkiang, Wuhu, Kiukiang, Hankow, Yunnanfu and Kiungahow were warned to be prepared to evacuate treaty ports if -necessary. On ‘March 28 this advice wa‘s extended to the ‘British subjects in the interior of Tientsin, Chofoo, ‘Tsingtao and Tsinan Consular districts, and on ‘March ’3O to every part of the interior of China,

Clrangkiang had been completely evacuated, as had also Changsha, except for the British Consul, and the mother superior of the Franciscan Mission and a British warship was stationed there.

Ichang was to be similarly evacuated at the earliest possible date. Asked as to the number of British subjects in the interior of China, Sir Austen Chamberlain replied that he was reluctant to give an estimate bc-

cause the numbers varied from day to day, but he thought they numbered not more than 200. ,

FRENCH CONCESSION. BRITISH AID IF NEEDED. (British Official Wireless.) (Received 1 p.m.) RUGBY, April 4. Sir L. Worthington-Evims (Secretary for War), replying to a question in the House of Commons, about the defence of the French concession at Shanghai, said this had not been undertaken by the British Defence Force.

In response, however, to an inquiry from the French commander, as to whether, if pressed, he could call for British assistance, General Duncan had informed him he could co-operate if the French lino were in danger.

CASUALTY ESTIMATE

TEN CHINESE KILLED,

(Received 10.35 a.m.) SHANGHAI, April 5,

The latest estimate of casualties as a result of the recent Sino-Japanese clash in Hankow is 10 Chinese killed, many wounded, and two Japanese killed and two wounded, while seven are held as hostages.

British property so far is untouched and the former British concession remains quiet.—A. and NiZ.

SIMULTANEOUS NOTES,

INSIST ON REPARATION.

LOOTING STILL RAMPANT

(Received 1 p.m.) LONDON, April '5,

Following on consultation with Washington and Tokio, the terms of the British note have been telegraphed to Mr Miles Lampson and will be presented simultaneously with identical American and Japanese notes to the Nationalist Government in 'Hankow.

Although the terms will not be published before their presentation, the Australian Press Association learns on reliable authority that the British Cabinet has somewhat modified the demands originally suggested by the Diplomatic Corps in Peking. France and Italy will not be partie? to the notes, but they have been kept fully posted on the negotiations through their Ambassadors in Peking.

It is understood that the demands include complete reparation for all damage to foreign property in Nanking, a public apology and trial by the Chinese Courts of the officers who authorised and even commanded the •outrages^

There is no hint obtainable of the •nature of any threat of reprisals the

note may contain,

Meantime looting of foreign property in Nanking continues. Everything moveable, even gas and electric fittings, have been taken.

The War Office expects the Northamptonshire Regiment of Guards to embark for China on the 11th inst. and the remainder of the reinforcements on ! the 13th. j Official circles have received no conjfirmafion of the reported chock to the ‘ Cantonese advance northwards -and do not rely on Chang Tso-lin ’s ability long to hold up the Nationalists’ advance. —A. and N.Z.