Warships Land Men.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 18045, 4 January 1927, Page 9

Warships Land Men.

CHINESE BLOCK BRITISH FOOD. MANY MISSIONS ATTACKED, AND NUNS AND PRIESTS FLEE. By Telegraph.—Press Assn.—Copyright. Aus. and N.Z. Cable Association. (Received January 1. 10.55 a.m.) SHANGHAI. January 3. Messages from Kiu-kiang state that the situation is pregnant with danger lor foreigners. A general strike has been declared at the British Concession to starve out the residents, necessitating food supplies and relief being rushed from Hankow in an attempt to break the boycott. Six naval vessels which were guarding the residents’ lives have landed every available man for their protection and to demonstrate. The Concession is picketed by strikers to prevent food entering. The Chinese authorities declare their helplessness to restore order at present. Lighting is cut off and H.M.S. Wyvern and other vessels are assisting with their searchlights. Anti-Christian feeling and outrages in outlving provinces have increased to such an extent that all missionaries have been advised to proceed to the safety zones. Hitherto peaceful countryfolk have been stirred nigh to fanaticism by agitators. and are perpetrating outrages and incendiarism. All Catholic bishops and nuns in the districts surrounding Hankow were ordered to evacuate, after the mission at Yang-shin-shan was attacked by a mob of 600. The priests were assaulted and driven out, and the church fired and destroyed. The priests and nuns escaped over the walls of the town, pursued by a howling mob. A seminary in the vicinity of Sha-si was looted and destroyed, and the priests were stripped of their clotlim?\ church at Husspeh and the mission homes were burned. A mission at Tung-chan-sien, in the vicinitv of Wuchang, was destroyed. Nuns in the convent at Shin-shin-kai were compelled to flee owing to continued interference by soldiers.