THE YANGTSE

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 22935, 13 January 1938, Page 11

THE YANGTSE

JAPANESE EDICT SHIPPING BARRED UP-RIVER TRAFFIC 'ALLEGED DANGERS ATTITUDE OF BRITAIN By Telftrraph—Press Association —Copyright (Received January 12, 5.5 p.m.) Times: Cable LONDON, Jan. 12 The Times says it has become known in London that the Japanese Naval Staff recently notified the senior British naval officer at Shanghai that Japan will no longer permit the passage of non-Japanese merchantmen up the Yangtse River but will offer every encouragement to vessels at up-river ports to come down. This interference with free navigation was justified by the alleged dangers to shipping from Chinese mine-laying and military operations. The British Government, says the Times, cannot admit any right of interference with Yangtse shipping, but as it is not - practicable to arrange for convoys, foreign merchantmen have been advised not to attempt the upward passage. One British vessel followed His Majesty's ,Cricket up-stream, otherwise non-Japanese up-river merchant traffic is at a standstill. LEAVES FOR FRONT CHINESE GENERALISSIMO HONGKONG < VOLUNTEERS RUSH FOR ENROLMENT (Received January 12, 5.5 p.m.) HANKOW, Jan. 11 Marshal Chiang Kai-shek has departed by "the Lunghai railway for the front. A message from Hongkong says the Chinese there have been newlydeclared to be eligible to join the Volunteer Defence Corps. As a result, overwhelming enrolment is taking place. SHANTUNG PORT JAPANESE IN CONTROL CORDIALITY TO GERMANS SHANGHAI, Jan. 11 The Japanese have taken over the post office, .confmunications and Customs at Tsingtao, the port of Shantung, and given a pledge not to molest the Chinese railway corps, who defended Japanese property. The Japanese were particularly cordial to Germans, even to the extent of greeting them with: "Heil Hitler!" The Japanese have captured Tsining and Wiehsien. FOREIGN DEBTS CHINA'S DIFFICULTY MAY DEFAULT ON INTEREST LONDON. Jan. 11 The News Chronicle states that with trade strangled by six months of warfare, China announces her possible inability to pay interest on her foreign debts. Mr. Franklin Ho, vice-Minister of Economics, told foreign journalists at Hankow that China would make the utmost effort to provide the interest, but if she were forced to cease payme 4 nt the circumstances would justify her. British loans to China amount to £25,000,000, and American loans to a similar sum. Roth are secured on Chinese Customs revenue, which has not met interest for the second half of 1937, ap overdraft at. the Central Bank of China providing the deficit. The prospects are black, because the North Chinese remittances, have not arrived satisfactorily at Shanghai. Trade is likely to be paralysed when hostilities are extended to southern ports. Mr. Ho, however, believes that there is no immediate likelihood of the finances collapsing. FRIENDS OF JAPAN GERMANY AND ITALY HITLER RECEIVES ENVOY LONDON, Jan. 11 A message from Berlin says the new Japanese Ambassador, Dr. Shigenori Tono, presented his credentials to Herr Hitler, • who referred to the "further deepening of the hearty friendship which has sprung up so happily between Germany and Japan.'' An Italian goodwill mission will shortly go to Japan, says a message from Rome. It will be composed of 15 leadejrs of Fascist organisations. OUTER MONGOLIA assistance for china (Received January 12, 5.5 p.m.) SHANGHAI. Jan. 11 Outer Mongolia's participation in the *&r as soon as possible on China's side « decreed irr the Chinese Army.