BRITONS' SAFETY

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22818, 27 August 1937, Page 11

BRITONS' SAFETY

MINISTERS' POLICY

STEPS FOR PROTECTION DANGER OF WAR'S SPREAD By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright (Received August 20. 0.5 p.m.) British Wiroless RUGBY, August 25 British Ministers in reviewing the situation in the Far East are believed to have more particularly reaffirmed the policy of protecting by all practicable measures British lives and property in Shanghai. This would indicate that Britain does not contemplate a policy of evacuation. It may bo taken for granted that the British Government fully shares the anxieties of the United States Government as to the danger to Far Eastern relations generally and that it welcomes Mr. Cordell Hull's appeal to both sides to cease hostilities. It is a cause of satisfaction that closo collaboration has been maintained with other Governments, especially those of the United States and Franco. Ministers regard it as most important that this collaboration should continue. The danger to tho property of a large number of foreign nationals at Tsingtao which would result from the spread of hostilities to that area is a matter on which the Government has been in touch with tho United States. Tho British diplomatic representatives at Nanking and Tokio have been instructed to express to tho Chinese and Japanese authorities tho anxiety of the Government lest Tsingtao should become involved in tho hostilities, and to support the representation to the same effect which the United States Ambassadors are understood to be making. CHINESE CLAIMS REPULSE OF INVADERS SINKING OF A DESTROYER [BY TELEGIIAPn —PRESS ASSOCIATION*] WELLINGTON. Thursday Tho Chinese Consul, Mr. Wang Feng, received tho following cablegram from Nanking last night:— Under cover of a heavy barrage from more than 30 Japanese warships massed outside Woosung, Tho Japanese attempted early yesterday morning to force a landing at several places near the Woosung Forts. The Japanese achieved a temporary success at Wentsaopang and Changuapang, where about 1000 men reached the shore. After a severe engagement tho Chinese, with the aid of reinforcements and artillery, annihilated all those who had landed, after which the Chinese batteries concentrated their fire upon the Japanese warships, sinking One destroyer and disabling another warship. Other attempts to land at Shutseling were frustrated. The total Japanese casualties in these engagements are estimated at 1200 and tho. Chinese casualties at 300. Several Japanese bombs were dropped in the International Settlement .yesterday afternoon. CABLEGRAMS FOR CHINA r wr " r ' * ft * i~ * « < V/ -t X, .A TRAFFIC ARRANGEMENTS ■ ' " •• 'iff The chief postmaster at Auckland, Mr. W. G. Cooper, states that in respect o£ cable traffic for Ghinst »the districts chiefly affected at present are north of Soochow Creek, Pootung and Nantao. Traffic for Shanghai generally is being delivered with little interruption, and for the time being will be accepted without risk to the sender, although some additional delay may bp probable.