U.S. REFUGEE SHIP BOMBED BY CHINESE PLANE

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 192, 31 August 1937, Page 7

U.S. REFUGEE SHIP BOMBED BY CHINESE PLANE

-Per Press Association-

Seven of Crew and Three Passengers Injured

t (ByTelegraph-

-Copyright).

(Received 31, 9 a.m.) SHANGHAI, Aug. 30. The American liner President Hoover was bombed when sailing two miles ofE the Woosung Lightship. Seven of the crew were injured, two of them seriously, and three passengers suffered coneussion. The news of the bombing of the vessel was received by wireless. The message stated: "We have just been bombed by a Chinese plane. We need naval assistance." The President Hoover, whieh was taking refugees to Manila, was retuming to Shanghai to take on a passenger. One bomb hit the vessel on the port side, and another hit a dummy tunnel. Twenty-five holes were counted above the water-line, due to fragments of bombs. 1 The President Hoover later stated that she was able to proeeed under her own power. Admiral Yarnell, the American Commander-in-Chief, ordered a destroyer to proeeed to the assistance of the bombed vessel, which was instructed to continue her voyage. Admiral Yarnell instructed the President Hoover not tp call at Shanghai but. to proeeed to Japan. He similarly instructed the President McKinley. Admiral Yarnell indicated that he was issuing orders to all United States shipping not to attempt to enter hostile waters at Shanghai. It appears that Chinese planes attempting to bomb a Japanese troop transport near the President Hoover flew off when Japanese destroyers raced np and opened anti-aircraft fire. The British cruiser Qumherland, which was nearby, went to the President Hoover 's assistance. Four planes bombed the President Hoover well outside territorial waters. She is now proceeding at full speed to Kobe. Before this a surgeon from the Cumberland boarded the liner, which was carrying 257 passengers and a crew of 320, and performed two emergency operations. Two of the wonnded passengers and five wounded memhers of the crew were taken aboard the Cumberland.

In contrast to Japan 'a prevaricationa regarding the shooting of the British Ambassador to China, China promptly adoiitted her erxor in bombing the American vessel, President Hoover. The foreign Office at Nanking has issned a statement saying that preliminary reports indieate that the President Hoover was between two Japanese warships and was mistaken by & Chinese piiot for a Japanese transporti

Negotiations have already been started for an early settlement of "this deplorable incident.-'1 The Chinese Ambassador in Washington has been instructed to convey China 's regrets to the State Department' and her readiness to make immediate redress. Japanese naval headquarters claiax t^at one of the four Chinese warplanes whieh bombed the President Hoover was shot down by anti-aircraft fire from the Japanese destroyers.