ADVANCE ON NANKING-

Southland Times, Issue 23376, 7 December 1937, Page 7

ADVANCE ON NANKING-

JAPANESE CLOSE IN ON KUYUNG

CHINESE LACK FOOD IN COLD WEATHER INLAND RAID BY NAVAL BOMBERS ' (United Press Assn.—Telegraph Copyright) (Received Dec. 6, 8.55 p.m.) SHANGHAI, December 6. The Japanese advance on Nanking has reached a point 10 miles from Chin-kiang. Nine aeroplanes heavily bombed the military air field and the railway approaches to the Ming Palace at Nanking; an aerodrome within the city walls was destroyed and a petrol store and six houses were blown up.

Japanese infantry are closing in on Kuyung, 22 miles from the capital. American nationals have been ordered to be ready to leave Nanking at any moment. Nanking is under martial law. The weather is freezing, and food and clothing are short. Three hundred armed police are patrolling the safety zone, which the Chinese are demilitarizing. An international committee is endeavouring to arrange a safety zone at Wuhu, which has a population of 170,009

The British steamer Tuck Wo was struck by Japanese planes which raided Wuhu; the vessel was set on fire and burnt out. The British steamer Tatung was also struck and beached. There were no casualties. Both displayed the Union Jack prominently. The Chinese report a raid by 11 Japanese bombers at Lanchow, the capital of the inland province of Kansu, 500 miles from the nearest battle front. Lanchow has an aerodrome at which many planes are reported to be arriving from Russia.

A later message from Shanghai says that Japanese naval airmen destroyed four large and 10 small Russian-made planes at Lanchow.

Defying fierce gun-fire, the crew of a Japanese destroyer crossed the Kiang-yin boom, across the Yangtze Kiang, on foot, and boarded and captured the pride of the Chinese Navy, the cruiser Ning Hai, which is aground near Pa Wei-kang. JAPANESE AIRCRAFT BOMB RAILWAY BRITISH DIPLOMATS ON BOARD TRAIN HONG KONG, December 5. Japanese aircraft bombed the railway 15 miles from the frontier of the British territory and the train in which the British Embassy officials are travelling to Hong Kong. Mr R. G. Howe, the British Charge d’Affaires at Nanking, on his arrival at Hong Kong, said: “We saw two aeroplanes flying over the train and saw one bomb drop ahead. We did not stop. The Japanese had guaranteed the safety of the track.” SIGNS OF BRITISH ANXIETY WATCH ON ATTITUDE OF GERMANY AND ITALY LONDON, November 12. While some experts think Japan has now bitten off at least as much of China as she can chew, and expect a slowing up of the advance in an attempt to consolidate her position, others think it unwise to set a limit to Japan’s territorial appetite. The British Government has not been officially advised of reported incidents of a display of Japanese truculence in Shanghai, and considers that the Japanese are unlikely seriously to attack foreign interests for a moment. But Whitehall does not conceal its anxiety about the general position and the stiffening of the Japanese attitude as reflected in the tone of its Note to the Brussels Conference.

However, it is felt that the apparent r«_-.diness of Italy and Germany to enter discussions with Britain in a conciliatory spirit may indicate that Japan is less confident than her tone suggests, and does not want her bluff to be called.

Besides, her European allies are not desirous of being drawn into the Far Eastern conflict through the threePower pact, and prefer tcf seek an understanding. It is pointed out that Germany has large interests in China which suffer by the continuance of the war, and might not be benefited even in the long run by Japanese predominance.

There is a feeling that Japan is somewhat uneasy about action by the nine Powers if all efforts at mediation finally break down and the war continues. It is pointed out that Japan’s supply of oil is controlled by four Powers— Britain, America, Holland and Russia. If these are united and refuse supplies it is most doubtful whether Japan could secure sufficient supplies from Rumania and elsewhere, even if she could find suppliers unaffectec by the pressure which the Great Powers could exert. If action were taken it would have to be supported by the potential use of force. Thus Holland could not refuse supplies from the Indies unless assured that Britain and the United States’ fleets would counter any possible Japanese action. The whole matter depends pn how far Britain and the United States are prepared to go to restrain Japan. It is not believed that America is ready to take any action which might lead to war unless the position becomes considerably worse. CHINESE LIBERTY LOAN FULLY SUBSCRIBED (Received December 6, 10.25 p.m.) HONG KONG, December 5. The 500,000,000 dollars in Chinese liberty bonds were fully subscribed.