EVACUATED.

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 18894, 8 January 1927, Page 15

EVACUATED.

HANKOW CLEAR OF BRITISH. CHINESE OCCUPY CONCESSION. BLOW TO PRESTIGE. (by '..ABLE—PBEsS association—copyright.) (aisthalias and n.z. cable, association.) SHANGHAI, January 6. Ly six o'clock yesterday evening it uas extremely dangerous for any foreigner to appear in the British Concession at Hankow. •

British Volunteers, who were standing by the headquarters all tho afternoon and evening, by agreement with the Chinese authorities, commenced evacuation at 9.30, all rifles, ammunition, and Lewis guns being taken to a hulk, where the Navy is moored. All the gear was removed in lorries and private cars carrying volunteers, with Chinese troops oil tho footboards as a precaution against the mobs. Tho evacuation was carried out without a hitch by two in the morning. Many of tho British residents were besieged .by howling mobs after the evacuation.

The headquarters are now in charge of Chinese soldiery, and this morning pickets of soldiers are keeping order. The population was surprised by the fact that the Concession was allowed to be taken over without defence. All Chinese workers in British firms have been called out to attend an anti-British ntoss meeting. Delinquents will be forced to attend.

Business men in Shanghai regard the loss of the H'ankow British Concession as tho death blow, to British prestige in China unless immediate steps are taken for its recovery.' This is accentuated by the fact that Chinese aid was asked to combat the disturbances.

The primary purpose of the foreign navies in China is to protect foreign lives and property, yet on a crisis arising, the Navy retired, abandoning foreign property to the mercy of the mobs.

Britain no doubt was faced by tho most difficult situation in tho history of Anglo-Chinese relations. The riots were well planned, the Reds knowing that an insufficient British force was available to combat tho disorders. British residents are of divided opinion concerning Britain's best course. .Failure to regain the Concession obviously means the early abolition of the other Treaty Port Concessions and the loss of the only guarantee of safety of millions of foreign capital and thousands of lives.

Britaiii is facing the disorders alone. There was not a single instance of other nationals being molested.

TO HUMILIATE BRITAIN. ISybsei "Sch"' Service.) •••'.. LONDON, Januaiy. 6. : ' Official circles admit that . the Chinese situation is still grave, but point out that the withdrawal ofwonien and children from Hankow'is not necessarily alarming. A political correspondent says:. "Not I a shot will be fired on behalf of Britain unless it 'is absolutely necessary .for defence. Trouble-makers are doing their utmost to get Britain to open fire, and are only awaiting a single shot which will start tlie conflagration. The KuO-min-tung is doing everything possible to humiliate Britain, but Britain does not want warfare." A dispatch received at Downing street states that Cheng has apologised for the desecration of the war memorial, and also asked Downing street to instruct Sir Miles Lampson to recall the women and children, for whom Cheng personally guarantees safety, but it is unlikely that the inhabitants will return. CONCERN IN JAPAN. (AUSTRALIAN AND H.Z. CABLE ASSOCIATION.) TOIvIO, January 6. , Political parties and business men in Tokio and Osaga are much disturbed by the dispatches from Hankow briefly outlining the serious situation especially affecting British merchants and residents. A Japanese News Agency report says: "Chinese occupied the Concession, driving out the British. It is understood here that a new situation has been created by the action'of the British police in tiring on a Chinese mob, killing one. It is feared that a new crisis has arisen. Much depends upon the British answer to the fresh Kuo-niin-tung challenge.

BRITISH UNPREPARED. . (AUSTRALIAN AND. N.Z. CADLE ASSOCIATION.) SHANGHAI, January l\ . The story of the evacuation of the British Concession at Hankow is the most humiliating in the history of foreigners in China. While owing to the distance full details are not available, .sufficient have arrived in private messages to Indicate the total failure of the British preparations to meet the situation created by KucMiiin-tung agitators, and the smallness of the British forces available led the British authorities to decide to evacuate the volunteer forces and not land sailors from the ships. The position now is that the British Concession is no longer controlled by Britain, but is in the hands of Chinese Nationalists. This, with the evacuation of women and children from Kiukiang, Wuhu, and Ichang, constitutes almost a complete evacuation of the Ynngt.se Valley, a most damaging blow to British prestice in the Far East. ' . SUN CAPTURES FUYANG. (vtsrntn.'.N o v.z. caelc ssociatjon.) SHANGHAI," January .6. It is reported that General Sun C'hu-an-Fang has captured Fuyang, twenty miles from Hangehow. This means that General Sun Chuan-Faiig's forces gained a decisive victory. Reports from Canton indicate that Chiang Kai-shek is leaving Wuhan to direct a new attack on Hangchow Fighting is continuing in the vicinity of Hangchow. •