Jap Drive Against Hankow; Warning to Foreign Warships

Northern Advocate, 13 June 1938, Page 6

Jap Drive Against Hankow; Warning to Foreign Warships

(Received 10 am.) LONDON, June 11. THE JAPANESE HAVE BEGUN A DRIVE ALONG THE YANGTSE RIVER TOWARDS HANKOW, SAYS A MESSAGE FROM SHANGHAI. They have requested foreign warships and merchant vessels to withdraw from the 200-miles stretch of the river between Wuhu and the fortified town of Hukow. at the head of the Poyang Lake. The Chinese claim to have sunk a second Japanese warship off Chichow. The Japanese warship Idumo is reported to be aground on the mud at Wcosung.

Mechanised Force Sweeping On. A Japanese mechanised force, 560 miles to the north of the Hankow battle area, is sweeping towards Honan, on the Hwang-ho, and it is assumed it will occupy Sian, the southern terminus of the motor road along which Russian munitions are believed to be transported. (It was at Sian that Chiang Kai-shek was held prisoner.) Japanese mobile troops have blown up the Peking-Hankow railway south of Chengchow, cutting off the retreat qf the Chinese southward, says a message from Tokio. The Japanese expect to occupy Chengchow without resistance, as the main Chinese forces are withdrawing after destroying everything of value. They have also cut the dykes along the Yellow River and the Hwang-ho. and flooded the southern area.