Facts Assembled

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Volume 81, Issue 73, 18 December 1937, Page 5

Facts Assembled

-PresB' Assn.-

MACHINE-GUN BLAST

Boarding Party Actually Fired on American Crew

(By TeleRraph-

-Copyright.)

(Received 17, 8.45 a.m.) NEW YORK, Dee. 16. The WasMngtoa correspondent of tlie Kew York Daily News says the State Department has officially determined tht following facts, which will be presented to tlie Japanese: (1) Tlie sinking gunboat Panay, with its colours flying, was machinegunned at short* range by Japanese army troops, who came alongside in motor-boats. (2) American survivors were blasted by Japanese macbine-gun fire from diving planes as tbey attempted to leave tbe Panay in small boats. (3). Japanese officers and soldiers boaxded the Panay while the Americans were seeking safety, and fired •n them. (4) The Panay 's machine-gun-ripped motor-boat, in which the survivors attempted to reaeh safety in a bail of Japanese bullets, has been yecovered. (5) That two Americans were wonnded by machme-gun bullets. Ihe Washingfon correspondent of the Kew York Times says that, while it is now realised here beyond question that the attack on the Panay was deliberate, it is not known whether the act was solely due to one officer on the scene or under orders froih the high command, representing the Japanese Government. There are two reasons advanced to esplain the iiring on the ships after the initial air bombing: — tfhe first is that the Japanese mijitaxy commanders, on their own authority, decided to humiliate the British and American Governments in the presence of the Chinese in order to persuade the latter that help from the British and Americans could not be expected and that they had better ■urrender. The second is that, after Beeing the air bombings, the naval men were seized with blood lust and let fly out of sheer excitement. The XTnited States, pending further clarification, is adopting an attitude of determination but not of haste. Dramatlc Story of Attadk. A Shanghai message reports:— Giving a dramatic eyewitness deseription of the sinking of the American gunboat Panay, -;-by the Japanese, Mr U. M. McDonald, The Times correspondent, who was aboard, confirms that the Japanese machine-gunned the vesael after bombing her and alao machinegunned the survivors when they were going ashore in boats. He adds that the Japanese motorboat approached later and fired half-a-dozen shots at the Panay. Then a party of soldiers went aboard. , The attack once begun, there was no doubt about the purpose, he said; it was a deliberate and systematie attempt to. destroy the gunboat and all aboard her. Mr McDonald, after telling of the first attack, says: ' ' Owing to the ray idity of the ngise of concussion, it was impossible to detail the attacks which fofiowed, but only relatively small bombg were used; otherwise the vesael would have been sunk instantly. "The Panay 's machine-guns went into action soon after the first attack and blazed away with American #ailors, itripped to the waist, grimly firing at the oncoming planes, which swooped lower, as the vessel was readily disabled. The chief boatswain's mate, who was bathing when the bombing began, was on deck naked directing the fire. Ztalian Hit in Stomach. "Signor Sandri, correspondent of the Italian newspaper Stampa, was hit in the stomach and died after nearly 24 hours of agony. "Meanwhile, the Pf-.Fuay was holee in several places and was slowly settling. The order was given to abandon the ship. "The bombing and machjne-gunning continued, but no time was lost in getting the wounded away in two smalJ "boats. The first boat was machine-gun-ned half-way to the store and five were wounded, oue fatally. All the survivors landed on a desolate stretch of mudbank.' J The boats were schttled and the injured were carried or dragged through freezing swamps. Finally a motor launch abandoned by the Chinese was found and the party made its way to a nearby hamlet and thence by land, with .the aid of Ghinese coolies, to Hohsien.