JAPANESE TAKE CONTROL OP KIAU – CHAU RAILWAY

New Zealand Herald, Volume LI, Issue 15728, 1 October 1914, Page 7

JAPANESE TAKE CONTROL OP KIAU - CHAU RAILWAY

TO PREVENT GERMAN VIOLATION OF CHINESE TERRITORY. 'Received September 30, 11 p.m.) Shanghai, September 29. Owing to German mines having been discovered outside the zone of hostilities, the Japanese have occupied Weihsien, and taken control of the Tsinanaju-Kiau-Chau Railway to prevent German violation of Chinese territory. The preparedness of the Germans to withstand a siege of Kiau-Chan, and the strength of the Japanese Navy, were matters dealt with in an article by the naval correspondent of the Times after Japan sent her ultimatum to Germany. The entrance to Kiau-Chau Bay, he- states, is about two miles wide, and is encircled by elevated ground rising to a height of some 600 ft. Sites were chosen for fortification, and a variety of defensive works had been completed and armed, but not, it is understood, to anything like the extent projected. Some German writers have asserted that the plaee is still insufficiently protected against a landward attack, and Genera] von Bernhardi not long since urged a further expenditure of £5,000,000 to put the place in a thorough posture of defence. The peninsula, however, which forms the northern side of the bay is certainly defended on the land side. As to the strength of the garrison, this has been variously estimated at from 5000 to 7000 seamen and marines. These include at least four companies of seamen gunners, a similar number of marines, some cavalry and field gunners, and a company of sappers. The whole of the defences are under oavtl control, and the Governor is a naval officer. It is likely that the garrison has been augmented, for from all parts of China Germans have been flying to KiauChau for protection, and it must be that among them are many capable of bearing arms.