DEFEATED SOUTHERNERS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 19719, 19 August 1927, Page 11

DEFEATED SOUTHERNERS.

THOUSANDS NEAR CITY. FIVE TROOP TRAINS FILLED. BRITISH FORCES PREPARING. FIGHTING ON YANGTSE RIVER. By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyrisht. (Received August 18. 8.35 p.m.) A. and N.Z. SHANGHAI. Aug. 17. Considerable excitement 'prevails at Shanghai, owing to the near approach of the retreating forces of the Conservative Nationalist leader, Marshal Chiang Kaishek, of Nanking. Five troop trains, carrying about 16,000 men—the vanguard of the retreating army—are due to arrive at Shanghai before midnight. General Pei CEen-wei, formerly actingcommander of the Nanking Nationalist forces, has arrived ahead of the troops. He entered the city accompanied by his chiefs of staff and a large retinue. This indicates the complete withdrawal of the Cantonese element from the Nanking army, the majority of the men in which consist of erstwhile Northerners who reverted to the Nationalists at the time of the occupation of Nanking by the latter. Refugees Tell of Nanking's Fate. The authorities ir ntrol of the international settlement at Shanghai are adopting the usual precautions. The police force has been trebled, and machine-gun and armoured car units and volunteers have been instructed to be prepared to be called out. The police are confined to barracks. The discipline of the British forces has been tightened. Passenger trains from Nanking and the intervening stations have brought in thousands of refugees, who are striving to reach the safety of the settlements ahead of the retreating Nanking army. Tho cohfusion is intense. The refugees brought reports to the effect that the booming of guns was audible at Isanking, which is being bombarded by the Northerners from Pukow. The north bank of the Yangtse Ri\er is now occupied bv General Sun Chuanfang's forces. Yangchow, the Yangtse terminus of the Grand Canal, directly opposite to Chinkiang, is also in the hands of Sun. Preparations to Defend Shanghai. The Nationalist troops made no attempt to cross the Yangtse. The Shanghai defences are being remodelled hastily at the points in the settlement facing the railway station, where! the retreating troops are due to arrive to-night. Nationalist flags, which lately have been flown in thousands in the settlement, have now entirely disappeared. I The situation is'so serious at Nanking that foreigners are hurriedly evacuating the city and panic-stricken Chinese are fleeing in thousands. British warships are being concentrated at the port for the protection of British residents. Sun's White Russian troops were responsible for the capture of Pukow. Armoured trains are being prepared for a further bombardment of Nanking across the river. The Nationalists are stampeding to Shanghai. The Japanese forces are co-operating with the British in the defence of the settlement.