GRAVE TURN FOR WORSE.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 57, Issue 245, 28 July 1937, Page 5

GRAVE TURN FOR WORSE.

CHINESE ACCOUNT OF ATTACKS.

JAPANESE ACCUSED OF BREACH

(Per Press Association.)

WELLINGTON, July 27

The Chinese Consul this morning received the following cablegram from Nanking: i “The North China situation has taken a grave turn for the worse, as the result of a Japanese infantry and aerial attack on Lan-fang, on the Peoping railway, midway between Peiping and Tientsin. About 11 p.m. yesterday a column of Japanese troops, over 100 strong, arrived at Lan-fang from Yangtsun in armoured cars, with the intention of occupying the railway junction. When challanged by Chinese soldiers the Japanese opened fire with machine-guns. Brisk fighting lasted the whole night. At five o’clock this morning five Japanese aeroplanes bombed the Chinese position, forcing the defenders to retire from the railway station after sustaining serious casualties. Peiping-Tientsin railway and telephone communication are completely disrupted. “A message received at 7 p.m. today reports that 17 Japanese bombers arrived at Lang-f'ang for further operations against Chinese troops, who have been forced to take up their positions at Hunagh-sun and Gangt-sun, two nearly railway stations. Extreme tension prevails on the Wanping sector, where Japanese troops at Tachingtsun, north-east of Wanping, have been reinforced by 2000 troops. The tension at Shanghai appears to have been relaxed, following the withdrawal of Japanese naval patrols from the Hong-kew distinct, adjoining the Chinese area, on Sunday morning. “The Japanese Consul (General Okamoto) saw the Acting-Mayor (Yu Hongchun) yesterday, and expressed appreciation of the Chinese authorities’ assistance in investigating the strange disappearance of the bluejacket Miyazaki, and requested that investigations be continued. The Mayor, in replying, pointed out the important fact which rendered it difficult to believe the story of Miyazaki’s alleged abduction by unknown Chinese. As the scene of the alleged abduction lies within a wellpopulated section of the International Settlement it was impossible to conceive that the abduction could have occurred at an hour as 9 p.m. without there being any eye-witnesses except the Japanese informer, Okezaki. Further, this informer, who has given the Japanese authorities a false address, cannot he found at present. “The Mayor also regretted the unwarranted action of the Japanese naval landing party in patrolling the Chineseadministered area, not only violating China’s sovereignty, but also creating a dangerous state of alarm and excitement.”