RINGING CANTON

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 19918, 21 April 1939, Page 7

RINGING CANTON

CHINESE ATTACK

JAPANESE REINFORCED

BIG DRIVE CHECKED

HEAVY LOSS OF LIFE

VERSION FROM TOKIO

(Elec. Tel. Copyright—United Press Assn.) (Reed. April 20, 2.45 p.m.) ■LONDON, April 19.

The Hong Kong correspondent of the .Daily Telegraph says that Japanese reinforcements have been landed from (transports in the Pearl River 'and are pouring into Canton in the endeavour to break the Chinese encirclement of the city. A fierce battle is in progress southwest of Tsengshing. Each .side is claiming success.

The Japanese appear to have succeeded in halting the Chinese drive east of Canton, but they have not yet driven a wedge into the Chinese lines, which now extend from the mouth of the East River and round Canton northward.

Chinese planes raided the invaders' air base in the vicinity of White Cloud Mountain and claim to have inflicted considerable damage. In the meantime >the Chinese offensive on all fronts appears to be slowing down with the arrival of Japanese reinforcements. The Hong Kong correspondent of The Times says that according to unofficial Chinese reports, the Japanese recaptured Tsengshing, which the Chinese abandoned in 'the face of superior force. A Japanese dispatch received in Tokio claims ifh'at 2000 Chinese were killed in an engagement in the Kwangtung province.