CHINESE CLOSING IN ON CANTON

Southland Times, Issue 23795, 18 April 1939, Page 7

CHINESE CLOSING IN ON CANTON

ADVANCE ON ENTIRE FRONT

ONLY ONE OUTLET LEFT TO JAPANESE (United Press Assn.—Telegraph Copyright) (Received April 17, 11.50 p.m.) LONDON, April 17. The Chinese offensive rolls on along the entire front of 1500 miles, says a message from Hong Kong. The Chinese are steadily closing in on Canton, leaving the Japanese only one outlet, the Pearl River, which is at present being kept clear only by the overwhelming superiority of the naval guns.

The Chinese have captured the strategic city of Maotsin, removing a threat to their communications with Russia.

The Chinese Government has succeeded in the astonishing task of removing vital industries to the interior, says the Chungking correspondent of The Times. Three hundred and thirty cotton mills, electric plants, and iron and steel works with equipment aggregating 130,000 tons have been taken to new sites, chiefly to Szechwan. A cotton mill of 50,000 spindles was transported 1000 miles by road, railway, steamer and junks through the Yangtze gorges, in spite of air attacks, and was dumped on a - barren hillside where 4000 coolies are levelling a site. In the meantime 2500 spindles are operating in temporary sheds. The Chinese have occupied Tsengchen, Tungshu and Fushan. CHINESE TEA INDUSTRY FLOURISHES (Received April 17, 7.40 p.m.) SHANGHAI, April 17. The war has not affected the Chinese tea industry. The figures are the highest for the past five years, exports totalling 91,767,0001 b.