ARMIES RACE FOR PEKING

Taranaki Daily News, 2 June 1927, Page 7

ARMIES RACE FOR PEKING

HEAVY FIGHTING IN CHINA GREAT NATIONAL DRIVE NORTHERNERS FALL BACK By Telegraph—Press Assn. —Copyright. Shanghai, May 31. The Northern troops are preparing to evacuate Honan province in view of the rapid advance of Feng-Yuh-Siang eastwards. This means that the entire body of Northerners is retreating before a three-sided Southern drive, which is progressing despite enormous casualties. The situation is virtually a race fqr Peking between Chiang-Kaishek and the Communist army from Honan under Feng-Yuh-Siang. In the event of further Southern successes, Cliang-Tso-Lin announces that he is prepared to retire to Mukden. BRITISH INTEREST IN HANKOW. PROMISE OF PROTECTION GIVEN. (British Official Wireless.) Rugby, May 31. The Foreign Secretary yesterday received a deputation of the China committee, representative of British commercial interests in China, who laid before him their view’s on the general situation in China, and more particularly their anxiety for the safety of British interests and property at Hankow. In reply Sir Austen Chamberlain gave

a full exposition of the Government’s p> licy. He stated that the Government desired to avoid any interference in the internal affairs of China, but they were fully alive to the importance of the British interest involved. They were determined to protect the lives of British nationals and to secure protection and fair treatment for them and their property, while continuing to seek a peaceful and friendly .solution of all outstanding difficulties with any authority constituted by the Chinese themselves and able both to make and to secure the observance of sueh friendly settlement. Meanwhile the Government had taken the precautions required by the present unsettled conditions and had issued the necessary instructions to the British authorities in China.