MOB BREAKS LOOSE.

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 18892, 6 January 1927, Page 7

MOB BREAKS LOOSE.

GRAVE SITUATION AT HANKOW. ATTACK ON NAVAL FORCES. MAGNIFICENT RESTRAINT SHOWN. l,r CABLB— r*ES* A»SOMATIO*-COPTBIOfIT.) (Stout "Sim" Sibyim.) (Received January sth, 7.60 p.m.i LONDON, January 6. "The behaviour of British sailors and marines during this afternoon's ordeal, which called for supreme patience under the severest provocation, is tho finest exhibition of selfcontrol I have seen," cables Sir Percirral Phillips to the "Evening News" from Hankow. "Naval forces from the Magnolia, tho Woolstan, and the Dm reinforced Hankow volunteers holding tho western barricade on the British Bund. The seamen faced a mob who, acting under the incitement of anti-foreign agitators, were repeatedly edging near the barricade, which rtiembled a miniature fort, until they w«r« > y» r d fr o ™ tne sandbags, all the t,im« showering abuse and stones on tJ* defenders. The Chinese rush retched the sandbags and a, flank oertment along the undefended foreibn* nearly surrounded the post. Jfiria* drove the mob back by a frtflUl attack. The mob retired pulli'b| ilp the wire entanglements. Twenty BMBbett of the naval force engaged in retaking the foreshore were attacked irith heavy poles. Two of them lost their steel helmets and were beaten on the head and had to be sent to hospital. It is feared that they were fatally hurt. Another fell and a Chinaman seized his rifle and bayoneted him in the leg. Lieutenant Ellis, belonging to the Bee, was struck in the face by stones; and two volunteers were injured. The British authorities attempted to reach the Cantonese Government, demanding the quelling of the rising! and received a reply that nobody had authority to act. Later, four Chinese police arrived and feebly harangued the crowd, who continued surging around three sides of the landbags, still abusing the occupants, yet not a shot was fired, and not a linglo man lost his temper." The "Daily News" says the Foreign Office does not view tho Hankow in- ' lt r ' 0U8 'y. &D & i* > s not afc P re * s ]r ySSiieved necessary to remove the jj A 0 British and 200 other foreigners. t "There will be no difficulty in doing this t in the event of tho necessity, owing .to the presence of three gunboats and t many river craft. t • It is officially reported from Hankow i that while 'the marines were advancing a with fixed bayonets, one Chinaman was ./ killed. ( The Cantonese authorities' action in n sending troops to suppress the distur- n s?° '2, r6 ? arde< J as a hopeful feature. The Hankow correspondent of "The Times' says the incident emphasises the present absurdly inadequate protection at Hankow, where rowdies nave been ordered to attack the British Concession, believing masses are wifficiont to intimidate the thin line of Aaval men in extended order across the Bund to tho foreshore. Chinese officials have issued a proclamation al- r legimr the butcherv of blood brothers to « ? rit '*h marines. A report thnt J\ii Pei-fu's troops were defeated at Lulling 140 miles north of Hankow, <> is Portly confirmed, and the Cantonese are hnrriedlv moving, two armies "ami t0 hold UD tho e *P ect « d ad"The Times' correspondent in n later T message states that immediately follow- t ' mg on an agreement between the ~ . British and the Chineso authorities, n »nder which the marines were with- o ,?v n ir? m the Concession and replac- c; •„ J V, nese P° lice - swarms of rioters r, wwdad the Concession, dismantled the *ft»abag fortifications, and defaced the w memorial cenotaph, throwing h !„!f C *r^K ainst foreigners and shout- p: W. Kill the foreign dog." A Naval P . Detachment was temporarily landed c "lain, but later re-embarked'owin 2 to s( ;^n-n m S° of "frainin- from u opening fire. The situation at present u is most grave.

BRITISH DRIVEN FROM CONCESSION. % (*MT»AtUS AXD .V.I, CABLE AMOMATIOtf.) 'fteceiTed January sth,, 8.30 p.m.) . + HANKOW. January 5. At serin o'clock last evening a uniiwse mob entered the British Con"Ti"i n .* occupied the Customs House t£r*r-I'- n i ci P al building, and expelled jne Oritur, from the Concession: The whim* police are patrolling the Conxion and keeping order. REINFORCEMENT FROM HONG KONG. '.Stcsit "Stm" SebvicsJ (Received January 6th, 12.52 a.m.) SHANGHAI, January 5. jjfi The latest reports from Hankow fail W N ' confirm the news that the British »«re driven from the Concession. ♦■ AC v° rdin£ to Hon c Kong reports. ? e ""al authorities there state that ♦ ") ar 'nes were withdrawn to avoid trouW e . Th e warships Wishart, Vin"'"ive, and Carlisle left here this mqrhinjt for Hankow. The EnterPrise and the Third Destroyer Flotilla: Vj* "bendy there. There are about | j!? 0 British residents in the Hankow concession.

CHINESE FORCES IN CONTROL. Uditsalun a.VD x.z. cable association.) (Received January 6th, 0.5 a.m.) ' SHANGHAI, January h. The latest news from Hankow states nat a big mass meeting this morning w «b attended by representatives of the Government Departments and all ■*bour unions. The Government speakers and agitators reviewed the previous day's incident, declaring that ;*y«ral Chinese were killed by marines. l ne Object of the meeting was to form ♦t, So S*£ y with the o^ oo * °r d*"" tl » British forces and seizing the Bn-

tish Concession. Resolutions were carried accusing the British of cruelty after the previous clash, when tho crowds had been driven back.

The Chinese authorities promised to send troops, and an agreement reached between the Chinese and British that no more marines be landed, leaving the Chinese to maintain order.

Later, all the barricades defending the Concession were removed by sections of the crowd, apparently working according to an organized plan, and gradually invading the Concession. At the time the message was sent tho Chinese defence forces appeared adequate to cope with the situation, which at tho moment was not dangerous.

RUSSIA'S HAND.

THE CHINESE UNREST.

DETERMINED TO CRUSH CHANG

(BY CABLE—riXESS ASSOCIATION—COrVRIQKT.) ("THE TIMES.'')

LONDON, January 4

The- Riga" correspondent of "The Times 1 ' says that the Soviet, declaring that the Chinese revolution is not yet half accomplished, urges the creation of a mighty national army capable of crushing Marshal Chang Tso-lin and his Imperialist allies. Russia is endeavouring to create the belief that the British Memorandum is a preliminary step to intervention by the Powers for the purpose cf imposing ou China a plan resembling the Dawes scheme, whereby China may bo put under the yoke again. The British proposals to China are moderate and judicious, says the "Daily Mail" in a leading article, adding: "Treaties unduly abridging China's rights to independent natioahood should bo revised or abrogated, even if the Powers are thereby deprived of useful commercial guarantees. A nation has tho right to mismanage its own affairs without foreign tutelage."

CLIMAX NEAR. KUOMINTANG FORCING THE ISSUE. (AUSTRALIAN AKD 11.2. CABLI ASSOCIATES.)

SHANGHAI, January 4

Strong evidence is in the hands of local authorities that the Kuomintarg (National Party) extremists, fearing that the Conservative element in the Party favours a friendly attitude to Great Britain, as a result of Mr Miles Lampson's visit to Hankow, ami the British Memorandum, are deliberately forcing the issue with Great Britain, on the counsel of Russian advisers. The latter see Soviet influence slipping unless Britain is driven to causing an incident by firing on an unarmed Chinese mob. . , , The events at Hankow are regarded as the forerunners of others of a worse nature. It is believed that in the long run bloodshed is unavoidable, and the climax is generally regarded as near. A , long succession of anti-British outbreaks is expected. The Ynngtse vallev will become a holocaust should Great Britain be forced to retaliate. The valley is now seething with hatred of Great Britain. Anti-foreign feeling is almost solelv confined to Britain. Japan, and America. Other Powers arc beine tomnorarilv overlooked, proving conclusively the existence of Soviet influence.