British Warship Runs Heavy Fire Gauntlet

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 639, 16 April 1929, Page 9

British Warship Runs Heavy Fire Gauntlet

DASH UP THE YANGTSE ALARMING NEWS TO HAND (United P.A.—By Telegraph — Copyright) j (Australian and N.Z. Press Association) . Reed. 9.5 a.m. SHANGHAI, Monday. Defeated soldiers at Changteli, in the Hunan Province, looted the city j and made prisoner Mr. L. H. Gagg, inspector for the Asiatic Petroleum Company. He was without food and clothing for a full day, and was wounded by a spear thrust in one thigh. A British gunboat was unable to approach the city owing to low water. j It is reported that three sailors of H.M.S. Tern w'ere wounded by Chinese rifle-fire from the banks of the Yangtse. A United Service message from Hong-Kong says the story of the exploit of the British gunboat Tern in the upper reaches of the Yangtsze is told by naval wireless to-day. It appears that, owing to heavy fighting 12 miles above Ichang, shipping in the upper reaches was unable to move. The Tern proceeded up the river to effect a release, running a gauntlet of heavy fire. Three ratings were wounded. How- 1 ever, the object was achieved, the ! Tern returning safely with the vessels, j Alarming news from the same j source indicates that the Hunan sol- ; diery is out of hand, and has attacked i and looted the Asiatic Petroleum Com- j pany's installation and the foreign 1 mission at Changteh.