SHIP SUNK

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 23177, 25 October 1938, Page 9

SHIP SUNK

JAPANESE BOMB PASSENGERS' FATE 11000 BELIEVED DEAD DRIVE AGAINST HANKOW FALL NOW IMMINENT By Telegraph—Tress Association —Copyright (Received October 2">, 12.H0 a.m.) LONDON. Oct. 21 According to Chinese reports 1000 passengers are believed to have perished when Japanese airmen bombed and sank the steamer Kongsin near Yochow, 100 miles . south of Hankow, says the Shanghai correspondent of the British United Press. Martial law has been imposed in Hankow. The official Japanese spokesman states that the fall of Hankow is imminent. says a message from Tokio. Both naval and military forces are within striking distance and shallowdraught' gunboats have made sufficient progress up the Vangtse to throttle the city. The Japanese have occupied the Boccatigris forts. The Japanese claim that units of their attacking army have smashed , their way into the suburbs of Hankow, including Twang-feng, but the main force is still 37 miles away, says the Hongkong correspondent of the British [United Press. Two radio announcers, beginning on Tuesday, will broadcast regular tenniinute descriptions of the fighting on the Hankow battlefront, says a message from Tokio. ' It is announced from Shanghai that ■the British naval authorities have refused the Japanese request to move chipping either from Hankow or from the Pearl River, near Canton.

| CANTON IN FLAMES ACTION BY CHINESE ' GREAT HAVOC CAUSED MUNITIONS EXPLODED (Received October 24, G p.m.) LONDON, Oct. 24 With explosions rocking the city and great fires raging everywhere, Canton leems to be doomed to destruction, Bays the correspondent of the Daily Mail in that city. The Chinese are determined to leave only a hollow victory to the Japanese and have wrought greater havoc in two days than was caused by 15 months of Japanese bombing. The Canton correspondent of the Daiiv Telegraph estimates the damage at £20,000,000. He says fires began simultaneously in four quarters of the city and spread rapidly, destroying entire districts. The Japanese, who lacked water, dynamited buildings in the hope of checking the flames, which, however, reached two huge ammunition dumps at Wongsna station and exploded them, filling a large area with immense craters. The Japanese continue to enter the city from the east. The Hongkong correspondent of the Times states that the first shock caused by the loss of Canton has passed. A manifesto has been issued urging the Chinese to Continue their resistance. The Chinese newspapers in Hongkong emphasise that China must continue to fight even if Hankow falls. Chinese news agencies assert that Canton was evacuated- as the result of a prearranged plan.

The Chinese forces made a firm stand at Lungmoon, north-east of Tsengtsing, but were forced out by bombing. The Japanese made a fresh landing and Bet fire to the city of Tarnchau.

SHANGHAI AIR RAID BRITISH GUNBOAT DAMAGED AMERICAN VESSEL DELAYED (Received October 25, 12.30 a.in.) SHANGHAI, Oct. 21 Six Japanese heavy bombers attacked the British gunboat Sandpiper. There were no casualties, but bombs wrecked two cabins and seriously damaged the superstructure. Britain has entered a very strong protest against the bombing of the Sandpiper. The Japanese explain that it was due to splinters while bombing a troop-laden junk. The Japanese-controlled Customs department delayed the departure of the steamer President Coolidge, refusing to permit the shipment of 100 cases of silver which the officials contended belonged to the Chinese. The United States Consul is negotiating With the Japanese Embassy.