RED PERIL IN CHINA.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19454, 9 October 1926, Page 11

RED PERIL IN CHINA.

A GEAVE SITUATION. RIVER CITY MAY FALL. REINFORCEMENTS NEEDED. ANTI-FOREIGN CAMPAIGN. PLIGHT OF MISSIONARIES. By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright. A. and N.Z. PEKING. Oct. 7. The fighting in Kiu-kiang now favours tho Reds. The city is in danger of falling. General Sun Chuan-fang, leader of the anti-Red forces, is frantically appealing for reinforcements. A British gunboat is proceeding to Kiukiang to protect foreign life and property. Tho city gates at Wuchang aro being opened every day for a brief period to allow a portion of the population of 200,000 to escape. Several foreigners havo also left. An earlier report of a mutiny of troops inside the city is confirmed, but it was quelled. In spito of assurances to the contrary firing on foreign vessels continues. Several vessels which have arrived at Hankow from Shanghai are riddled with bullets. Efforts to rescue Mr. Freeman-Davies, tho Australian missionary who was captured by bandits at Chow-kai-kow, has so far been fruitless on account, of floods and tho prevalence of bandits throughout Honan. Marshal Wu Pei-fu has deputed General Yen with a division of troops to rescue Mr. Freeman-Davies at all costs. Relief was to be sent to women missionaries who aro stranded in Chow-kai-kow, but it is feared this will be impossible at present owing to tho flooded area. Volunteers are attempting to reach the women in small boats. The Chinese police, who have been ordered to prevent, an anti-British demonstration at Shanghai on Sunday—the anniversary of the formation of the Chinese Republic—to-day arrested 16 ringleaders. They have closed all tho offices of tho Communist and similar parties and of the Students' Union, a notorious anti-foreign organisation.