THE WAR IN CHINA.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19321, 7 May 1926, Page 8

THE WAR IN CHINA.

HALF-A-DOZEN FRONTS. t ■ t ABOUT 300,000 MEN ENGAGED. CAMPAIGN AGAINST SHIPPING. [FROM OCR OWN CORRESPONDENT.] SHANGHAI. March, 16, The war in North China is still dragginoon; fighting is proceeding on some halfdozen fronts with varying success and so far neither side can claim any decisive victory. It is estimated that approximately 300,000 troops are already involved and another 500.000 are ready to join the fray when their respective commanders decide which side it would be expedient for them to support. The stake is Peking; the foreign Powers have consented to allow China to raise approximately an additional 100,000.000 dollars by surtaxes, consequently supreme command at Peking, with control of the Treasury chest, is now a prize worth fighting for. The combination of Marshals Wu Peifu and Chang Tso-liri against the Kupminchun or People's Army is still holding good, the latter is regarded as the "Bolshevik" or "Red Army," .while the opposition forces call themselves "Patriots'" fighting for the good of their country. The Kuominchun forces are nominally commanded by the Christian General, , Feng Yu-hsiang, who also controls Peking. Feng claims that he has retired from political life and refuses to again assume control of the "People's Army," but it is universally believed that he is still working behind the scenes. SuSerings in the Country, It was rumoured last week that Marshal Chang T.solin had been approached by Feng with a view to joining forces with him against Marshal Wu Pei-fu. Any fresh alliance or combination is possible from day to day. The only tangible result so far has been a complete disorganisation of traffic on the railways of North China, and untold misery for the country, people. Reports are constantly received of towns sacked, innocent villagers robbed of ,ail j thev possess and brutally murdered by defeat/, ci and retreating soldiers. The Kuominchun are strongly entrenched at the Chinese city of Tientsin and the ' Patriots" are endeavouring to dislodge them. A large force, known.as the "\ellow Sea Flotilla" recently embarked at Tsi'ngtao to attack Tientsin from the sea. The result has been that stirring events have been happening at Tientsin and at Taku at the mouth of the Tientsin River. Immediately- following the departure of the "Yellow' Sea Flotilla" from Tsingtao for Taku. the Chinese officer commanding i the Kuominchun, or National Army, at | the Takti forts, issued a notice that, all I vessels, both foreign and, Chinese, were ! forbidden to pass through the Taku Chanj nel by night. The Knominchun general, j also ordered the Commissioner of Cusj toms to extinguish all pilot lights, but ! the commissioner flatly refused to obey i tnis order.

The next, move on the part of the "People's Army" • .was i* l mine the entrance to the Taku Channel, while the Chinese forts at Taku fired indiscriminately at all shipping coming within range of their gaits. * Fortunately, the Chinese soldier is not distinguished for lus gunner}'. and {several steamers have successful l'v ran the gauntlet. The Kuominchun also extinguished the leading lights and tide signal lights at the entrance to the. Tientsin River and occupied the signal station. Attack 011 Japanese Destroyers. The Di|snraatic Body at Peking lodged a protest with the Waichiaopu (Chinese Bureau of Foreign Affairs) against the hlockade of the Taku Channel and interference with foreign shipping, but apparently the Peking Government was too weak to comp'-i the Kuominchun to respect treaty rights. The British and Japanese Consuls at Tientsin, however, interviewed the, Kuominchun commander .of the Tientsin garrison and arrangements were 'made for foreign vessels to enter and leave Tientsin in daylight. While"two Japanese destroyers were attempting to proceed up the' river to Ti.entson. on March 12. the Taku forts opened fire on the destroyers, wounding four of the crew, including the commander, and a Japanese pilot. The destroyers returned the fire and then retired.

The officer, commanding the Taku forts bad been officially notified regarding the Japanese destroyers, and they were preceded by a steam launch flying the Chin.ese flag of the forts, and carrying a Chinese officer from the forts.

According to the garbled Chinese version of the affair, the forts signalled the incoming destroyers to stop but no attention was paid tq the signals. The troops then lined up in the forts when the destroyers opened fire wounding twelve soldiers, after which the forts replied. The incident has aroused great indignation in Tokio. Ultimatum From Powers. Finally the Power.; delivered an ultimatum that if the mines were not removed from the Taku Channel by noon on March 18. and if the Chinese military authorities did not refrain from firing upon, and otherwise interfering with foreign shipping, the Powers reserved to themselves the right to take the necessary action to enforce their demands. It is worthy of note that this ultimatum was delivered, not to the political faction at Peking, misnamed a "Government," but to the Commander-in-Chief of the Kuominchun troops in the district of Tientsin and the Commander-in-Chief of the "Yellow. Sea Squadron." ' The Government at Peking received merely a copy of the ultimatum. At present there are some sixteen cruisers and destroyers, representing England, America, Japan, Prance and Italy lying off the Taku forts ready to hack up the ultimatum of the Powers if necessary. The United States'are rushing another six destroyers from - Manila to Taku. The terms of the ultimatum mentioned bv our correspondent were accepted, subject to reservation of the right of searching vessels known to be carrying munitions.