A NEW OFFENSIVE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23299, 17 September 1937, Page 9

A NEW OFFENSIVE

JAPANESE IN NORTH CHINA BOMBARDMENT OF CHAPEI THE FIRST NAVAL BATTLE CHINESE VESSEL DISABLED (United Press Association) (By Electric Telegraph—Copyright) SHANGHAI, Sept. 15. The Japanese are preparing a new offensive from Liuho to Chapei, which batteries ,are already bombarding. The first naval battle occurred in the Pearl River, five Japanese and two Chinese warships participating. Japanese claim that they disabled the Chinese ship Chao Ho, and deny that their own vessels were damaged. The French, British, Italian, American and Dutch admirals have sent Notes to the Chinese and Japanese pointing out that missiles from aircraft guns are being fired into the settlement killing many non-com-batants. They urge cessation of aerial fighting and bombing. Cholera cases total 500. There have been 50 deaths, including a number of foreigner!;. JAPANESE CLAIM ADVANCE ON NORTHERN FRONT TOKIO, Sept. 15. The northern battle, in which the Japanese are employing 100,000 men, extended to a 79-mile front from tine mountains west of the Peking-Han-kow railway near Liangsiang, where they are driving the Chinese from their positions in the hills to 30 miles west of Tientsin. The Japanese claim that, despite heavy rain, they advanced five to nine miles on the whole front, being halted only by the fast-running Chuma River, 12 miles from the railway. The Chinese fought stubbornly and counterattacked at Liangsiang, but were driven back. Another Japanese column occupied Kwangliang, 15 miles south of Tatung, whence it is threatening the Chinese defending the Yenmen Pass commanding the road to Taiyuanfu, the capital of Shensi. The British United Press Tientsin correspondent points out that the Japanese penetration on wide fronts is complicating the difficulties of supolies and communications. Every day sees a further advance from the bases while facing increasing guerrilla warfare. NEW JAPANESE COMMANDER TOKIO, Sept. 15.. The former War Minister, Count Terauchi, has been appointed to command the Japanese army in the large Shanghai sector. The Foreign Office Spokesman, rebutting the Chinese charges that the Japanese attack r.on-combatants and cultural buildings, . states that the Chinese ' are using the latter as bases. He warned the League that if it acts on unsupported Chinese statements an incident similar to Manchukuo would follow. Japan is at present engrossed nightly in intensive anti-air raid practice. CHINESE PLANES AT BIAS BAY HONGKONG, Sept. 15. Chinese planes attacked 20 Japanese warships at Bias Bay, including two aircraft carriers, one of which was disabled. DETAINED AT PEKING • NEW ZEALAND FARMERS SYDNEY, Sept. 16. (Received Sept. 16, at 11.30 p.m.) The passengers by the Kamo Maru, which arrived to-day from 'China, included two farmers from Tahora (Taranaki). They were detained for 13 days at Peking while fighting between the Japanese and Chinese went on around them. All roads to safety had been blocked, but the New Zealanders took the first train out after the Japanese took possession of the city. They said the Chinese commenced working for the Japanese as soon as they entered the city. The wounded Chinese numbered about 2000, but ho one seemed to worry about them or treat them. The New Zealanders added that a phase of the war that was hard to understand was the way war material went through the Chinese Customs to the Japanese army in Peking. THE CHINESE WITHDRAWAL i <Peb (Jotted Press Association* WELLINGTON. Sept. 16. The Chinese Consul has received the following cablegram from Nan- , king:— The military Spokesman has confirmed the withdrawal of Chinese troops yesterday from Yinhsing village, the civic centre near Kiangwan, and points on the northern fringe of the Yangtsepoo district. The Japanese have already advanced to the civic centre, but Kiangwan. two miles further west, is still in Chinese hands. Sufficient forces are concentrated there to check further Japanese advance. The fall of Yuepoo and Yanghang, north-westward of the civic centre, exposed the Chinese positions evacuated yesterday to the danger of being outflanked if the withdrawal had not been made in time. At present it is estimated that Japanese ' control over the narrow strip of land from the river was gained at the price of over 10,000 casualties. Now that the battle has been carried further inland all advantages no longer lie with the Japanese, said the Spokesman. It was revealed that at the beginning of hostilities the Chinese hoped to clear the International Settlement of Japanese forces before further reinforcements could be landed. This task was progressing with the utmost satisfaction when large numlers of Japanese troops under cover of a naval barrage landed at various points outside Shanghai. Neither the landing of the Japanese reinforcements nor the subsequent push inland could effectively be prevented, for, as the Chinese counterattacked and advanced near, the river bank, the Japanese warships blazed into action and brought down upon them the concentrated fury of the naval batteries. The Spokesman expressed himself as being satisfied with the result of the fighting so far, and predicted that fiercer battles lay r.hcad. *