PANAY ATTACK

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 80, Issue 305, 24 December 1937, Page 7

PANAY ATTACK

JAPANESE STATEMENT STRUCK BY STRAY BULLETS TOKIO, Dec. 22. The Foreign Office has issued a statement in connection with the machine-gunning of the Panay, claiming that the Japanese army boats aimed at a nearby Chinese vessel carrying fleeing Chinese troops, and adding that only stray bullets could have struck the Panay.

It was discovered that another vessel which sank near the left bank as the ersult of the third bomb was also American. Another company commander sent two launches to her with an officer and ten men for rescue work. The officer and one man boarded the vessel, but failing to find anyone on board and seeing that they were in imminent danger of sinking, left her. It was later found that this was the Panay. At that time the small steamer was afterwards discovered to be the Lit a which was fleeing upstream with 14 or 15 Chinese soliders on board. Although the distance from her was about ISOO metres the Japanese troops on land fired on her with machine guns. Still another launch was sent in purusit and captured her. Bullet holes were noticed in her side. The shooting was aimed at the Chinese vessel, and the American ships were never constituted its objective. It is suggested that the allegation of shooting at the Panay was made by those who mistook the shooting at the Chinese vessel, and it is also supposed that there might have been ricochet shots flying in the direction of the Panay. Briefly the acts of the Japanese military forces had no hostile intention whatever towards American ships and nationals. It is impossible for a Japanese force ever intentionally to attack or trespass upon any American ship knowing the vessel to be such. As a matter of fact the 1 Japanese soliders at the front are well disposed towards foreigners in , general, especially Americans.

JAPANESE CASUALTIES TOKIO, Dec. 22. The Panay was unintentionally machine-gunned by Japanese army motor-launches is the burden of the latest report issued by the Foreign Office: ‘lnvestigations are still progressing. So far it has been established that Japanese soldiers visited the Panay with friendly intentions for a brief period, but no evidence has been discovered that the ship was the target of intentional shooting. Japanese motor-launches saw Japanese naval aircraft come and bomb a group of five vessels. Immediately after the second bombing the section commander approached one ship and found it to be American. Two army officers were discussing with the American crew means of safeguarding the American ship when a bomb was dropped in the vicinity for the third time. The company commander then caused ten soldiers to wave Japanese flags in order to make the aircraft stop bombing, but the latter failed to recognise the signal and continued to bomb the ship. There were casualties amdng the Japanese of two dead and three wounded, including the company commander.”

JAPANESE EXPLANATION LONDON PAPER’S COMMENT LONDON, Dec. 22. The Daily Telegraph, in a leading article, says that British indignation at the recent attacks on His Majesty's ships by Japanese naval airmen and military artillery has not been perceptibly softened by the interesting variety of explanations offered by the spokesmen for the Japanese services and his diplomatic colleagues. With the best will in the world it will be difficult to place much credence in the capacity of the Japanese Government to prevent future incidents if it cannot even inquire into uast comparatively minor insults to the American flag. We suggest that, respect f or neutral nations has not yet been promulgated widely and seriously among the Japanese forces. It is easier to regard the violation of the territorial waters of Hongkong as an isolated error of judgment on the part of one Japanese officer than to pass over the Yangtse incidents with the same supposition, but it is essential that it should not be repeated.

BRITAIN’S REQUEST TRADE FACILITIES AT SHANGHAI LONDON, Dec. 22. The British Ambassador, Sir R. Craigie, called on Mr Hirota and, it is believed, pressed the urgency for reopening the Hongkew and Yangtsepoo areas at Shanghai to the merchants and residents of other Powers. The Foreign Office spokesman declared that it was not necessary to comment on Mr Attlee’s declaration that Japan showed a complete disregard of international law. The spokesman attributed the delay in reopening the Hongkew and Yongtsepoo areas to fears of Chinese secret activities. NAVAL MOVEMENTS BRITAIN’S VIGILANCE. [ British Official Wireless.] RUGBY, Dec. 22. Answering a House of Commons question, the First Lord of the Admiralty assured the House that the Japanese naval movements in waters adjacent to Hongkong were being carefully watched, but he added: “I have no information on the subject that I could usefully give to the House at the present time.” Mr. A. Eden, answering a somewhat

similar question, also assured the House that the situation was being carefully watched and all possible protection would be afforded British trade interests in South China. Referring to the Customs control at Shanghai, Mr. Eden said that the Japanese authorities there had not yet received instructions from their Government, but the British Ambassador at Tokio was communicating with the Japanese Government to have the despatch of instructions expedited.

CHINESE MILITARY ORDER TRAITORS MAY BE PUNISHED. [ Per Press Association. 1 WELLINGTON, Dec. 23. The following cablegram has been received by the Chinese Consul from Hankow: “The National Government has issued the following order: The National Military Council has ordered the arrest and prosecution according to the rules governing the punishment of traitors of all persons who participate willingly in any unlawful organistions existing in territories unlawfully occupied by Japanese military forces.’’

JAPANESE BOATS DETAINED INCIDENT IN SAN DIEGO BAY Received Dec. 23, 11.50 p.m. SAN DIEGO (Calif.), Dec. 23. A new American-Japanese incident is revealed by the United Press correspondent. He reports that bluejackets, in launches, armed with machine-guns, halted and detained four Japanese fishing-boats on San Diego Bay last Tuesday night. They were released on Wednesday morning. ADMIRAL LITTLE ILL NEW TEMPORARY COMMANDER [ British Official Wireles*. ] RUGBY, Dec. 22. Owing to the indisposition of Admiral Sir Charles Little, Commander-in-Chief of the China station, the command has been temporarily assumed by Rear-Admiral Crabbe, Rear-Admiral Holt assuming the Yangtse command.