BLACK CLOUDS

Gisborne Times, Volume LXV, Issue 10315, 26 January 1927, Page 5

BLACK CLOUDS

SERIOUS DEVELOPMENTS IN SHANGHAI EXPECTED CIVIL WAR ON WIDE SCALE ANTICIPATED MILES OF TROOPS ON THE MOVE HURRIED EVACUATION OF BRITISHERS tUniteJ Press A&sn.—Copvright.) LONDON, Jan. 24. “I have spoken to the authorities from Mr Miles Lbmpson and Clrangtsolin down to the rank and file of the northern armies” states the correspondent of the Daily Express in a special despatch from . China, “ana I am forced to two conclusions : Firstly, in view of tbc unexpected reverse suffered by the Northerners 100 miles south of Shanghai, very serious developments may be expected in Shanghai momentarily; secondly, open conflict on a wide scale between the North and South cannot long he deferred. “Meanwhile, all Britishers are being hurriedly, evacuated from the interior. It is practically impossible to secure accommodation on the railways owing to the extensive movements of troops towards Hankow, Nanking and Shanghai. They are fully equipped for the winter, with sheepskin-lined greatcoats, catskin helmets, rifles, bayonets, bandoliers, and cartridges. They sleep almost atop of each other, in restaurant car's and in corridors. “From Manchuria to Pekin and Shanghai I saw miles of soldiery, with all the accoutrements of war. Officers in uniforms of* every conceivable mode and color, with pistols dangling from their belts, are as numerous as soldiers. “The consensus of opinion among foreign commercial men is that no business can bo stabilised until the issue between foreign Powers and the various factions of the Chinese is settled conclusively and for all.”A. and N.Z.C.A.

AMERICAN GOVERNMENT ANXIOUS TWENTY-SIX WARSHIPS CONVERGING ON SHANGHAI WASHINGTON, Jan. 24. Admiral Williams reported that the 26 American warships in Chinese waters are converging on Shanghai. American missionaries, and businessmen from the interior are hurrying to Shanghai expecting to , embark for foreign ports if the native demonstrations continue.

The United States Government views the situation very seriously. Anxiety is reflected in the renewed orders to the American commanders to avoid unnecessary force, which might stimulate the rioters further. Altogether the administration is adopting a policy of watchful waiting. There are 15,000 Americans in Shanghai.—Sun.

SOVIET TROOPS MASSING ON MANCHURIAN FRONTIER VOLUNTEERS CALLED FOR IN SHANGHAI. SHANGHAI, Jan. 24. A Japanese news agency supports an earlier report that Soviet troops are massing on the Manchurian frontier. The purpose is not clear. The Shanghai local authorities are appealing to foreigners to join volunteer corps. Americans are showing reluctance to resist the so-called Chinese Nationalist movement, while a Russian unit has been formed.—A. and N.Z. C.A. DEFENCE OF SHANGHAI. THREE BRIGADES AND ARTILLERY COMPANY LONDON, Jan. 24,. An official message states : MayorGeneral John Duncan commands the Shanghai defence force, which consists of the Thirteenth Infanty Brigrade (comprising the following battalions : First Middlesex, First Cameronions, First Border Regiment, and the First Green Howards), the Fourteenth Infantry Brigade (comprising the Second Coldstream Guard, the Second Bedfords the Hertford.?, the Second Border llegiment, and the First Devonshire), the Twentieth Indian Infantry Bridage (comprising the Second Gloucestershires, tile Second Durham Light Infantry, the Fourth and First Pimjabs, the Third and Fourteenth Punjaos.) 4lie artillery consists of an armoured car company with auxiliary services.

Mayor-General Duncan proceeds to Shanghai on January 25. It is understood! the Hertminius (12,000 tons) has been chartered as a transport, making the fifth.—A. and N.Z.C.A.

ARMOURED CAR COMPANY. ORDERED TO' BE READY TO SAD, LONDON, Jan. 24. An armoured car company, consisting of 130 officers and men and belonging to the Royal Tank Corps, has been ordered to be ready lor China. FOUR BATTALIONS FROM INDIA. LONDON, Jan. 24. The War Office has officially announced that the Government of India is arranging to despatch to Shanghai two British and two Indian battalions. BRITISH REINFORCEMENTS FOR CHINA. • TOTAL OF SIXTEEN THOUSAND TROOPS. LONDON, Jan. 24. The Star points out that the reinforcements despatched to China or ordered to be in readiness to sail total 16,000, comprising 12 British and Indian line battalions each 890 strong, a thousand marines, the crews of four cruisers, two gunboats and two. destroyers en route, and two destroyer flotillas preparing.—A. and N.Z.O.A.

WHO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR COMMUNIQUES? INVITE PEOPLE TO TALK OP WAR RAMSAY MACDONALD’S COMPLAINT LONDON. Jan. 24. Mr Ramsay MacDonald, writing in the Daily Herald, states: “Everyone striving for a peaceful solution of the difficulties in China must read with considerable alarm the propaganda, and information apparently officially issued regarding the military preparations. Its effect on public opinion is already apparent. It invites people to-think and talk of war. It has none of the quiet air of precaution, but has the flambuoyant demeanor of aggression. Who is responsible for the communiques? Can the Foreign Office justify them in relation to the negotiations in China, or do they represent one more attempt by the 1 military, to override an act independently of the civil, departments and; interfere with their policy? I suspect once again we are faced with .the "pro!Hem of whether the military is to lie the servant of the State, or the State the plavthing of tho military. —A. and N.ZiO.A. v

IDEAL LEADER FOR CITIZEV TROOPS. GENERAL DUNCAJN LEAVES FOR THE EAST. (Received Jan: 25, 10.20 p.m.) - LONDON, Jan. 2-1. Major-General John Duncan selected as the defender of Shanghai, has had considerable experience in-little wars. Viscount Gort, V. 0., will be one of his brigadiers. The Second Coldstrearus will be commanded by another V. 0., Colonel John Vaughan (“Tallyho”) Campbell, who led a critical charge in the Battle of the Somme by means of a'hunting horn. Two detachments of the Royai Air Force from Gosport and Farnborougb accompany the marines aboard the Minnesota, embarking at Portsmouth to-morrow. —A.N.Z.C.A.

(Received Jan. 25, 8.50 p.m.)

LONDON, Jan. 24

General Duncan, left London at midnight .for Liverpool to board a liner for the East. He said he expected to arrive in Shanghai two days after the brigade from India, namely, on February 2. It is not anticipated that the Cantonese . will be there first.

The Daily Telegraph says General Duncan is an ideal leader for citizen troops. His unconventional methods have a minimum of drill, ,but lav a maximum, of stress upon initiative, which made the East Anglican the best trained division in the territorial army. General Duncan has also shown tact in getting on with other nations. Viscount Gort will also he a guarantee against a clash which coolness and tact may avert.—A. and N.Z.C.A.

BRITISH PRESS REMINISCENT OF WARTIME. FORCES IN CHINA OR UNDER ORDERS TOTAL 16,000. ROYAL AIR FORCE DETACHMENT LEAVING. (Received Jan. 25, 7.50 p.m.) LUIS DON, Jan. 25. With photographs .of cheering troops, lengthy cables and details of military and naval movements, the newspapers are strangely remmiscenr of wartime. -ll is again, emphasised officially that the measures are purely precautionary, the outcome of the Government’s resolve to piotect the lives and property of British people. It iS" stated conversations continue between Mr O’Malley and at Hankow, but so far without result. British forces in the Yangtsze region, or under orders to proceed to the East, now number more than ten thousand, making a defence force, with the naval Units, of 16,000. Thirty, officers arid men of the Royal Air Force are sailing with marines in the Minnesota this afternoon. Their six aeroplanes follow, in another vessel. The work of transforming the steamer Kinfaun’s Castle and Kiidonian Castle into troopships is piactical’y complete, and they re expected to sail this week, also the Peninsular Company’s Assaye, which is a vete an among troopships, having seen ser-’ vice in the Boer rebellion and the Great War.—A.N.Z.C.A.

CHINESE NATIONALISTS’ AIMS RECOVERY OF INDEPENDENCE LOST IN OPIUM WAR. HYING NATION CANNOT RE AT PEACE WITH CONQUEROR. 'STATEMENT BY CHEN. SHANGHAI, Jan. 24. Mr Eugene Chen, Nationalist Foreign Minister, authorised a statement in which he explains Britain’s despatch of troops to China. Ex parte he,says: “The question is not what- Britain and the Powers wish to grant to China in order to meet the legitimate aspirations of the Chinese, hut what China may justly grant Britain ana the others whose regime of international control is now delinitel'y sharing the fates of all historical systems of political subjection. “The system of international control as known to foreign Imperialists has necessarily involved such limitation of Chinese sovereignty, economic, judicial and political, that real independence has not been enjoyed in China since England imposed the Nanking Treaty. Therefore, it is historically true to state that the defeated China iu the opium war, deprived her of her independence. Englishmen of the present generation have perhaps forgotten, but Nationalist China, with the old iron of defeat in her heart, remembers “China’s dominant aim to-day is the recovery of the independence lost at the lianas of the British in the opium war. Until this is accomplished there cannot be real peace between Chinese Nationalism and British Imperialism. A nation which is not dying cannot be at peace with its conqueror, but will strike at the selected moment. The selected moment ol Chinese Nationalism came when Bri-tish-controlled rifles were ordered to shoot to lcill Chinese students qn Chinese soil on May 13 at -Shanghai, and when, following the further killing of Chinese students and othei’s by foreigners at Canton and elsewhere in June, the economic weapon Was forged by the Chinese nationalism in South China. “The struggle has® spread continu ously and will not cease until complete independence has been won.”— A.N.Z.O.A.

SOVIET SCHEME THAT FAILED. PROPOSED HUGE ARSENAL AT HARBIN. LEADING PLOTTER CONFESSES BEFORE EXECUTION. SHANGHAI.. Jan.. 24. ’ Light is thrown on Soviet troop movements on the Manchuria border by the arrest and execution of General -Yangchow, adviser to Ohangtsolin, when a Soviet coup to overthrow the Mukden War Lord was frustrated. Documents seized reveal a huge scheme involving Soviet military plans to capture Chang, and to construct a huge arsenal located at Harbin for the distribution of arms to followers of Yangchow. Prior to his execution Yangchow was tortured and revealed the entire plot, implicating Soviet officials at Pekin and elsewhere. Japanese and other diplomatic cir-' cles view the matter seriously.—A. and N.E.C.A.

anti-foreign a git at ion INCREASES, MISSIONARIES^ORDERED TO EVAOU aTE.

(Received Jan. 25, 10 P m ; PEKING, Jan. 25. Owing to the reverse to ounchuaii pang against the Southerners at Chekiang, the British authorities ordeied the‘British, missoionaries to evacuate the Ningpo district.' The agitation against the Catholics in Amoy continues. The Chinese exhumed seven' bodies of babies owing to alleged mutilation by Catholics. Th agitation is developing in Amoy and . Swatow. All ;the American missionaries up country have temporarily, .abandoned their quarters and have gone to Swatow. — a.n.z.c.a.

RUMORED OFFER FROM DOMINIONS NO OFFICIAL INTIMATION , LONDON Jan. 24. A report has reached the War Office that troops from the Dominions, including Australia, may be ottereu for China, but there has been no official intimation. It is understood the question of the Dominions volunteering is entirely their own affair. Certainly Britain offers not the slightest suggestion of the Dominions entering the question. Britain will provide all the forces required. It is expected that the troops at present warned will he ample.—Sun. FEDERAL CABINET TO DISCUSS MATTER. N.S.W. MINISTER DENIES REPORT. (Received Jan. 25, 10.20 p.m.) ADELAIDE, Jan. 25. Dr. Earl Page, acting Prime Minister, declined to confirm or deny the rumor regarding the Dominion troops and cruisers tor China. He added that the matter would be discussed by the F'ederal Cabinet in Melbourne to-mprro w.—U .P.A. MELBOURNE, Jan. 26. Senator Pearce, vice president of the Executive Council, states that no offer of assistance in the event of hostilities in China has been made by the Commonwealth Government. —U.P.A.

(Received Jan. 25, 9.30 p.m.; SYDNEY, Jan. 25. Mr. Marr, acting Ministex of Defence, stated there was no trutli in the rumor that Ausralia was offering either troops or naval units for service in China.—U.P.A.

FEDERAL LABOR LEADER OPPOSES INTERVENTION. SUGGESTED DELEGATION TO CANTON. TO CONFER WITH CHINESE ON PACIFIC. (Received Jan. 25, 10.45 p.m.) SYDNEY, Jan. 25. Mr. Charlton, Leader of the Federal Labor Party, said the Labor Party was strongly opposed to intervention in connection with China’s internal affairs, and will strenuously oppose any action taken to commit Australia to a foreign war. A proposal to send a delegation to Canton to confer on the possibility of averting war in the Pacific is Labor’s latest move against the interference in China. According to a Trades’ Labor Council circular this will be one of the foremost matters for discussion at a special conference' to he held next month.—U.P.A. .

SEAMEN’S DEFINITE STAND. SHIPS CARRYING SOLDIERS WILL NOT BE MANNED. (Received Jan. 25, 10.20 p.m.) MELBOURNE, Jan. 25. The Victorian branch of the Seamen’s Union at a stop-work meeting agreed to a resolution that member? of the Union would decline to man any ship carrying soldiers or munitions of war or foodstuffs for troops acting against the Chinese. It was doclared by speakers that another war was threatened over the Chinese position, and that the seamen would take the lead to prevent Australia from participating. —U.P.A

ACTING PREMIER HAS NO KNOWLEDGE. WELLINGTON, Jan. 25. The cablegram relating to the suggested offer of troops from the Dominion, was submitted to the actingPrime Minister to-day. Iho Hon. W. D. Stewart stated he had not heard of tiie matter and the question had never been discussed by the New Zealand Government. —P .A. HANKOW BANKS OPEN. (Received Jan. 25, 10.45 pm. ) PEKING. Jan. 25V wireless from Hankow states that the banks opened without, incident.—A .N .Z.C.A.