Japanese to Employ 300 Planes to "Wipe City Out of Existence"

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 210, 21 September 1937, Page 7

Japanese to Employ 300 Planes to "Wipe City Out of Existence"

-Press Association—

. BRITAIN REPORTED TO BE CONSIDERING A PROTEST

(Hy Telegraph—

-Copyright),

(Received 21, 12.45 p.m.) NANKING, Sept. 20. With fears accentuated by preliminary bombing, Nanking, the Chinese political capital, awaits what may be the most terrible air raid the world has ever known; iThree hundred war planes are expected to participate in it — only 50 fewer than those .which performed the mass formation flight at Hendon air display in June. The Japanese, though they undertake to conserve foreign interests as far as possible, decline to assrnne the responsibility which foreign Powers seek to place upon them for the safety of foreigners remaining in the city. Foreign attaches say that Japan can blow Nanking, with its million inhabitants, off the map. Chinese militarists, despite the limitations of their anti-aircraft defences, scoff at the threat of utter destruction in view of the ineffectualness of the preliminary raids, but it must be remembered that Japan's plans contemplate the employment of over five times the number of planes hitherto used. They will outnumber Chinese aircraft by ten to one. A Shanghai message reports that Admirals Little an'd le Bigot, commanding the English and French Asiatic Fleets, rejected the Japanese reqnest to moye their war-' ships upstream from Nanking, adding that the Japanese would be held responsible for the killingof English and French nationaJs. Admiral Yarnell informed the Japanese that the United States warships must remain at Nanking while Americans were there. He asked that the Japanese ainnen should avoid his ships. The Japanese twice bombed Nanking to-day, making four raids in 24 hours. They Hropped hundreds of bombs. Great damage is reported. The Australian AssociateH Press (says a London message) understands that Britain is considering a protest against the Japanese threat to wipe out Nanking. The Hecision so far has not been conveyed offieially to Britain. The British Government, the correspondent adds, is most perturbe'd oyer the safety of 300 nationals, although the British Embassy has taken safety measures. The Chinese have built extensiye dug-outs and shelters for non-combatants.