CHAOS IN CHINA

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19505, 13 June 1925, Page 11

CHAOS IN CHINA

SITUATION AT CANTON. RIOTS AT HANKOW AND MUKDEN. Press Association— By Telegraph—Copyright. PEKING, June 11. (Received June 12, at 5.5 p.ni.) A message from Canton states that the report that the Christian College is besieged is untrue. Additional troops from West River have arrived at the Shek-Wai-tong station. The whereabouts of General Hsu-Chung-cbi is still unknown, but he is supposed to bo en route from Swatow with a Rus-sian-trained army. The Sunnanese and Hurmanese troops who are loyal to the Cantonese, are nearing Canton from the North. Firing is continuous along all the native bund. The Portuguese gunboat Patna has arrived. Four British, two American, two Japanese, and two French gunboats are already here. A report from Hankow states that an anti-foreign riot occurred last night. The volunteers were called out. The rioters rushed the bund, tore up the seats, destroyed the Japanese shops, and severely mauled the Japanese shopkeepers. Later the rioters broke down a barricade and attempted to rush the British volunteer armoury. The rioters were in heavy numbers, totally outnumbering the defence force of the armoury. The fire brigade ineffectually hosed the mob, after which the position being in a state of extreme emergency, under orders of the navy the rioters were fired on by machine guns. Eight were killed. The number of wounded is unknown. Quiet has been restored and the Chinese authorities guarantee continued peace. Six hundred students led by Peking agitators demonstrated at Mukden, whereupon the Education Bureau warned the students not to'harm the foreigners nor cause disorders. The students’ efforts to promote a general strike failed owing to the official precautions. The situation in • the French Concession to-day was distinctly easier. Cabinet has decided to agree to the application of the demonstrators yesterday to send 100,000 dollars to Shanghai for the relief of the unemployed. The American gunboat Pampanga, which was convoying the Canton Christiou College supply launch, was fired on near Whampoa. The Pampanga returned tho fire. There were no casualties. — Reuter. A CHINESE NOTE. ADVICE TO THE DIPLOMATS. PEKING, June 1L (Received Juno 12, at 5.5 p.m.) Tho Note to the diplomats takes cognisance of the fact that the Powers view tho incident in the same conciliatory spirit as the Chinese Government, and that instructions have been given to the police of tho international settlement to cease the use of arms. The Note goes on to insist that the steps taken by the authorities of the settlement to hinder the pacific student demonstrations were badly advised, and denies that there was the state of imminent danger to which the Powers’ communication referred. The Note adds that the concession authorities not having disarmed the. students, they are therefore responsible for the deplorable events. The Government views with indignation the state of affairs prevailing to-day throughout the country and begs to give advice to the Concession authorities, which toe latter should follow—namely, to raise thesiege, re-eirtbark the marines, disarm the volunteers and police, free those arrested, and restore the occupied schools —for the restoration of order in Shanghai with the briefest possible delay. The Note asks the Ministers to instruct the consular officers accordingly.—Reuter. TRIAL OF RIOTERS. THE SHANGHAI SHOOTING. PEKING, June 11. The trial of tha 17 persons arrested in connection with the recent riots in Shanghai is proceeding. An English missionary who was an eye-witness said he considered that the shooting was unavoidable in the circumstances. Two American missionaries who were also eye-witnesses considered that the police were not justified in firing, as the victims were only sympathetically demonstrating in favour of the imprisoned students. Inspector Everson, who ordered the firing, said that the crowds were absolutely uncontrollable. Asked by the Chinese magistrate if firing against tho legs of the crowd would not have sufficed, he replied that it would have been contrary to instructions, which were to fire only as a last resort, and then to shoot to kill. A quantity of Bolshevist literature seized at Shanghai University was admitted as. evidence. (Received June 12, at 5.5 p.m.) The trial of 17 arrested persons has concluded. The accused were ordered to furnish a bond guaranteeing their good behaviour. The American assessor, Mr Jacobs, doeplv regretted the case which, _he said, had much embittered Sino-foreign relations. There was no demonstration. The court was heavily guarded by the police and armoured cars.—Reuter. SHIPPING SERVICES SUSPENDED. PEKING, June 11. The China Merchants’ Steamship Company (a Chinese concern) has suspended sailings indefinitely. Some other shipping companies have ordered their vessels to other ports.—Reuter.