WAR IN ORIENT

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLIII, Issue 20928, 6 January 1938, Page 12

WAR IN ORIENT

THRILLING AIR BATTLES JAPANESE BOMBING OF HANKOW United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph—Copyright HANKOW, January 4. Chaos reigned at Hankow, the new capital of China, when a, large fleet of Japanese warplanes heavily bombed the aerodrome for the first time since the Government offices were transferred from Nankin. The first alarm sent panic-stricken crowds hurrying to dug-outs and cellars. About 75 bombs were dropped, the raiders working three times from one end to the other of the aerodrome, which was reduced to an appalling scene of wreckage. The Hanyang arsenal was also attacked but not hit. The raiders warily remained at a great height beyond the range of the “Archies” which sent streams of shells skywards. There was one spectacular fight between a Chinese and a Japanese machine. The Chinese ’plane was damaged and the pilot was manoeuvring to land when the Japanese, seeing an opportunity, made a dive with machine guns blazing. He zoomed up again and attacked the stricken Chinese whose ’plane had crashed in flames on the arsenal aerodrome. The pilot survived and was not seriously injured. Most of the bombs intended for the aerodrome fell wide of the mark. Although more than 20 aeroplanes were at the aerodrome only three obsolete ones and one bomber are reported destroyed. Eight Chinese machines, several piloted by Russians, engaged the raiders, but only overtook them some miles from the city and the result is unknown. “I think I got him,” said an American pilot describing how he waited for the Japanese to leave Hankow. They flew at 1300 feet, overtook the raiders, then dived down from the clouds and opened fire with both machine guns at a Japanese ’plane which immediately dived and disappeared in the clouds and was lost to sight. A Tokio message reports that Kufow has been captured and the Japanese will protect the birthplace of Confucius.

RESTRICTION OF IMPORTS

EFFECT OF WAR IN CHINA United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph—Copyright (Received January 6, 1.35 a.m.) TOKIO, January 5. Mr Yoshio, Minister of Commerce, in a statement, says: “We are facing the second year of the war and need a continuous supply of munitions, thus necessitating further drastic cuts in imports. In the first six months it is planned to reduce the importation of wool 50 per cent and cotton 35 per cent.” He pointed out that under the control laws last year they had saved the imports of wool 30 per cent, to the value of 60,000,000 yen, cotton 10 per cent, valued at 85,000,000 yen, and wood products and others 50,000,000 yen.