ARTILLERY DUEL.

Pahiatua Herald, Volume XLIV, Issue 13638, 24 August 1937, Page 5

ARTILLERY DUEL.

JAP. REINFORCEMENTS in ACTION. The Japanese reinforcements are already in action,, seizing the terminus of the military highway from Woosung as a flanking move. At Peiping the Japanese artillery all day unavailingly attacked the Hankow Pass. The Japanese claim to have captured all the strategic points north of tlie Yungting river and also occupied Kalgan. A Tokio message says a Foreign Office statement said the British indemnification memorandum is under consideration. Japanese nationals have been withdrawn from Central and Southern China with the exception of a force at Tsingtao, where there are nine Japanese cotton mills. Chinese troops are reported to bo closing in on Tsingtao. BRITISH CABINET SUAIAIONED. EVACUATION OF ENGLISH LONDON, August 22. Air Chamberlain, owing to the gravity of the Shanghai situation will return to London to-morrow and will confer with Air Eden and other members of the Cabinet. Ihoy will consider plans to evacuate the entire British civilian population, numbering 9237, from Shanghai. 'The presence of civilians in the heart of tlie war zone seriously embarrasses the naval and military authorities arranging to protect the Brit : sli settlement with its £IOO,000,000 worth of property from files, shells and bombs. Satisfactory replies were received from other nations, except Japan, to the British proposals to form an international force to protect the Settlement.. Air Chamberlain will report the situation fully to liis Majesty at Balmoral next week-end. A Hongkong message states that 2000 refugees arrived from Shanghai. All are quartered in piivate homes and public buildings, some even dwelling in the racecourse grandstand The confusion lias ended but loud prices are rising, leading to a demand for Government control. Food hoarding is prevalent. MORE JAPANESE PLANES SHANGHAI August 23. Three Japanese aircraft carriers, with 106 warplanes, have arrived off the coast at Chekiang. The Japanese are concentrating round the Hungsing cotton mills and

HAVOC IN SHANGHAI. BRITISH STORE LAID TO WASTE. United Press Assn.—By Electric Telegraph—Copyright. SHANGHAI, August 23. An intense artilery duel marked the successful landing of 50,000 Japanese reinforcements. The Japanese sppkesman said: “In view of the provocative Chinese attitude, wd* have a chance now to deal a decisive blow before there is any possibility of their strategic withdrawal. We hope the Shanghai area will be cleared of hostilities shortly.” The Japs, assert that they faced seven Chinese divisiens, four of which are first-line troops, in this morning's general attack, which has not affected the Japanese lives anywhere. The Idumo has returned from woosung and taken up a new position half a mile downstream from the Japanese Consulate. It is estimated that 250 were killed by two shells of unknown origin which struck the seven-story British department store known as Sincere’s. There was terrible havoc with mangled bodies everywhere. All the windows within a radius of a mile were shattered. Ambulances, police, troops and Boy Scouts are recovering the dead and succouring the injured who include two American newspaper correspondents. . A third shell struck the United States Navy warehouse, but fortunately did not explode.

also Yangtsepoo, where the Yangtsepoo creek flows into tlie Whangpoo. They are building defences and rushing up artillery. A message from Nanking says that foreign military and naval officers made an inspection of Nanking aerodromes, which showed that the Japanese claims concerning the destruction of hangars and many aeroplanes are largely* baseless. The damage is limited to- one training plane at Chuyang air base. A Chinese pilot brought down four Japanese ’planes single-handed. The evidence shows that the Chinese scored a smashing air victory. It is officially "stated 34 Japanese ’planes were brought down, including 25 heavy bombers. Tlie Chinese losses are under 20. SOVIET BEHIND CHINA. LONDON, August 23. Tlie Daily Telegraph’s Tokio correspondent. says the newly-arrived Soviet Ambassador virtually confirmed a report that Marshal Bluche-r is proceeding to Outer Mongolia. It isheld that this plus the of Soviet-trained Mongol pilots at Nanking, reveals the Soviet’s new technique in aiding China. Aid will apparently lie extended through technically independent Outer Mongolia, where Russians can become M.ongols overnight-, relieving Moscow from embarrassment. It is reported that warplanes ajy- being assembled in Soviet territory lor delivery to Nanking. The Daily Mirror’s Warsaw correspondent says Russia is sending newly invented anti-aircraft guns to Shanghai from Co/iotantinovsk to guard the Soviet Consulate against Japanese aggression I’lie -Soviet War Council lias ordered two warships to China. From Shanghai it is reported that Japanese warships, including the Idumo .moved to Woosung to cover the landing of reinforcements. Only two destroyers remain near the Bund. The Japanese Embassy spokesman claims that more than 50.000 troops landed in the Woosung and Shanghai districts during the night. The sound of heavy gunfire from the two fronts, which was heard this morning at Peking, indicates that the Chinese resistance is unexpectedly stiff. The presence of irregulars, led by the notorious Liu Kweitang. is confirmed. It is uncertain which side they are supporting. The latest reports state that fighting occurred between the Japanese and the irregulars southward of Poking.