JAPANESE EXTEND BLOCKADE

Southland Times, Issue 23393, 28 December 1937, Page 7

JAPANESE EXTEND BLOCKADE

Reprisal For Losses In Shantung COMPLETE OCCUPATION OF HANGCHOW (United Press Assn.—Telegraph Copyright) (Received December 27, 6.30 p.m.) SHANGHAI, December 26. Rear-Admiral Hasegawa, the Japanese naval commander-in-chief, announces that Tsingtao, the chief port of Shantung, which up to the present has been the only Chinese port excluded from the blockade of the Chinese coast, will henceforth be included in the blockade. It is understood that this is the first reprisal for the burning of the Japanese cotton mills. . , , _ . The mayor of Tsingtao urged residents to depart immediately m view of the impossibility of keeping the city clear of the hostilities. The Japanese crossed _ the Yellow river in the vicinity of Tsinan and obtained a foothold in Shantung. The complete occupation of Hangchow is announced. All foreigners and foreign property are safe. The Japanese also occupied Fuyan, 20 miles to the southwest, through which the Chinese retreated. An all-night march across the mountains enabled the Japanese to occupy the highlands overlooking Hangchow. Other columns penetrated five miles from the north and northwest of the city. Four columns then stormed Hangchow’s main gates and entered the city. A Chinese official statement confirms reports of atrocities after the Japanese entry of Nanking. It says: “The story of Japanese fury, pieced together from authentic foreign and Japanese sources, is a record of horror and shame which will remain one of the darkest and bloodiest pages in the history of Japanese aggression. There was wholesale looting and ravishing of women, and groups of alleged Chinese soldiers were tied together in batches of 50 and placed between lines of machine guns.” JAPANESE ACTIVITY IN SOUTH NAVAL MOVEMENTS NEAR MACAO (Received December 27, 11.50 p.m.) HONG KONG, December 27. European passengers aboard a steamer bound for Macao report tht they sighted 20 Japanese vessels—warships, transports and aircraft carriers—-hove-to 15 miles from Macao,'Portugal’s only possession in the Far East. Planes from the carriers were engaged in carrying out observations. It is now believed that the Japanese landing in South China will be made in the Macao hinterland, from where direct roads lead to Canton.