AN AERIAL BATTLE

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LV, Issue 17696, 6 February 1932, Page 7

AN AERIAL BATTLE

I: JAPANESE DEFEATED . • r v; , - SHANGHAI’S PROBLEM ?.*; ‘ CONCENTRATION OF CHINESE ■ i -* %: . ' (XIM. Tel. Copyright—United Press Assn.) y (Received February 6, noon) SHANGHAI, Feb. 5. - The highlight of to-day’s fighting was th« guccess of the Chinese aeroplanes in Ml aerial battle with three Japanese bombers over Chengju, where the Government radio station is located. A furious duel resulted, in one Japaneso machine dropping in Haines and the other two making forced landings. The Municipal'Council is faced with the gravest difficulties at present, as approximately 40,000 Chinese troops are concentrated in the vicinity of Shanghai, demanding the right to pass through to attack the Japanese. In the meantime fMiayy fighting continues on the Chapei and Kiarignau fronts, where the Japanese are reliably reported to have made considerable advance. ’ The Japanese naval part of the campaign at Shanghai appears to be nearing completion with tho destruction of all cover at Ghapei and surrounding districts, the intensive bombardment lotting the Chinese into the open counijjjj/k'; Japanese division intends landing fciuhuo, roughly 12 miles from Shanghai, at tho mouth of tho Yangtse. preparatory to - moving overland and attadkihg the Chinese flank in open warfare, which will probably drive tho Chinese back on Shanghai. ..... There was heavy firing all night, the Japanese shelling the Chapei and Kaingwan districts, which are now completely gutted. •The Chinese are still offering considerable resistance. l>i. * JAPANESE PLANS STATEMENT BY ADMIRAL -WILL FORCE CHINESE BACK 10,000 REINFORCEMENTS (Received Feb. G, noon.) NEW YORK, Feb. 4. The United States tvas advised by Jrpphfl to-day of the latter’s intention to Bead to Shanghai one army division totalling 10,000 men. The New York Times’ Shanghai correspondent states that, in an exclusive interview, Admiral Shiozawa asserted: “I am shy of wrecking Shanghai, and po far my airmen have used only very small bombs, but two days more and IShanghai wfjl )bo through with the horrors of war. Once tho Chinese aro in retreat I will loose my full forces against them in order to conclude a distressing situation. As soon as we drive them five-or . six miles away from the International Settlement we do not intend to pursue them further. We have insufficient men to occupy tho territory from which we plan to expel them. Concerning the accusations of savagery levelled against me, I have oply to report that had I chosen, 1 could have used big bombers and big bombs.” • Admiral Shiozawa said his losses total 230 men, and he had been using only eight field guns and 5000 sailors, but 10 more gtrtis and more men were coming, with which he hopes, to drive the Chinese north of the International Settlement. He will then increase his gnns, iuid, further, will send 40 large amphibian bombers against the Chinese. ' REPLY TO POWERS —_ Tantamount to rejection -f . • : WASHINGTON, Feb. 5. American officials regard the Japaneso repy to the international peace overtures as disappointing, some individuals privately asserting that it was tantamount to rejection, and that tho only hope remaining lies in Foreign Ministers leaving the door open for further proposals. However, no new diplomatic moves seem to have been planned yet, especially since it is felt that the new military movements tend to revive the crisis at the International Settlement at Shanghai. ACTION BY LEAGUE consideration to-morrow (British Official Wireless.) Red. noon. RUGBY, Feb. o. The League of Nations Council will meet in public to-morrow, when the president M. Tardieu, will make a brief statement on the ChineseJapanese question. It is expected that a report from the emergency committee at Shanghai will then have been received. Admiral Sir Howard Kelly, British ► Commander-in-Chief of the China Station, - arrived at Shanghai to-day in the Kent from Batavia. ' Shanghai reports that the renewed bombardment of the Chinese position in-’ the ’ Chapei area died down tins evening. It is reported that guas Vefe landed to-day from Japanese transports north of tho International Settlement. ' ■ MANCHURIAN POSITION JAPANESE ENTER HARBIN ; • . (Received Feb. 6, noon.) TOKIO, Fob. a. Notwithstanding the warning issued yesterday on behalf of the Russian Government, the Japanese forces entered Harbin this morning. MOSCOW OF THE EAST A COSMOPOLITAN CITY lfcrbin , some 30 years ago a mere B fishing village on the Sungari River, is noW a busy important city, with many flour mills, and has been described as the Minneapolis - of Manchuria. “Harbin,” writes a contributor to the National Geographic Magazine, “to social and political psychiatrists is a curious study, full of implications and COlfnQtations, for now the yellow man rules over the white at Harbin; whites woffle tor yellows, and there is even a charity home for Russo-Chinese children, . whteh hints at the beginning of racial amalgamation. The wreck of society Russia, the poverty of survivors who fieri'to Manchuria, the surrender of jigiktf and courts in the railway zone to Chinese brought about this new alignAY;; frjfent.. Trtie it-is local and affects only flpfcgtSttCiOO' or - more whites, but it is sUrakMly significant, for nowhere in all tto the early days of treaty

ports and extra territorial privileges—have yellow men ever ruled over whites, with the power of arrest and punishment. The traveller who knows tho East is amazed when white men storm the train at Harbin or Mukden to grab his bags, and he sees white men sweeping the streets or subject to the orders of Chinese policemen. “Like Houston or Seattle, Harbin fairly leaped into urban life. When Russian railroad builders came only one house stood where now rises this pay, colorful, pulsating Moscow of the Far Kast. It is the only city in all Asia which has nearly as many whites as natives. “The story of Harbin i 3 a story of what Russia did for the Chinese—opened up a new empire and gave homes to millions. Track laying started from Harbin in three directions at once--towards Chita, Vladivostok, and Port Arthur. No such hectic activity had ever been seen anywhere in Asia. To Harbin there came arid wont a steady line of craft laden with steel, dredges, road-making machines, food, and clothing. Like magic the place grew from a cluster of engineers’ tents to a wonder citv of stately avenues, bean oil and flour mills, fur traders, importers, fine, buildings of brick and atone, hotels, theatres, and cafe chantants. Harbin is the natural centre of a vast trade area. It lost some pomp when Imperial Russia fell, but it continued to gain in economic and industrial solidity. Many American firms, as well as Russian, Japanese and Chinese are established there, and Harbin is curiously cosmopolitan. Its trade territory includes more railway mileage than • does any other area in China. More than 3500 miles of track have been laid in Manchuria (October, 1929) and this is being increased at the rate of about 500 milei a year.”