CHINESE TROUBLE

Hokitika Guardian, 19 February 1927, Page 3

CHINESE TROUBLE

[EY TELEGRAPH—PER PRESS ASSOCIATION.. BOUND FOR ('ill.NA. SHAN OH AT, Feb. 1". American naval autliorilie.s learn the transport Chaumont, which left San Diego lor an. unknown destination a week ago is coming here with twelve hundred marines. The Second Sullolks are embarking at Hongkong tor Shanghai to-morrow. SITU ATI ON l' NC l lANGED. LONDON. Fob. IS. The. “Daily Mail" says that Aho Cabinet meeting decided no startling chanco in the China policy. I'.ven it tin advance on Shanghai becomes more rapid, it is satisfied that available forces arc adeipuito for British protection

BRITISH PRESS CRITICISM. LONDON, February 18

“The conviction is crowing in London,” says the “ Daily Telegraph's ” diplomatic correspondent. “ that, whether independently or under Bolshevist pressure, Mr Eugene Chen is playing a deep game. With General Sun Ohuan Fang (the Northern commander) in full retreat and with the 'Cantonese Army pearing Shanghai, -Mr Chen evidently thinks that the time lias arrived to blackmail the British Government into fresh concessions. Hence he Is seeking to extract from the British Government the following terms:— (1) The De Jure recognition of the Cantonese Government as the Government of China.

(2) An explicit pledge that no further British troops shall he landed at Shanghai in addition to the Brigade and the’detachments already embarked. It is extremely unlikely that the British Government will take the risks involved in tire second demand. The correspondent adds that numerous ships, many of them German, are busy loading arms and munitions in Odessa for delivery to China. LONDON. February 17. “ The Cantonese, aided hy Russian machine gun instructors and advisors, have heavily defeated the Northerners,” said Al.r Am cry (Colonial Secretary) speaking at Hackney. “The defeated rabble and the elated victors might soon be pouring towards centres which British enterprise have built up. resulting in the possibility of looting, plundering and massaco at Shanghai, If the Government, seeing this danger, bad not sent troops to protect British life and property,” he added, “it would not he a' Government, but a Labour clique sending telegrams as though they were in charge of the Foreign Office, which had interfered in Chinese affairs.”

CA BINET INST RUCTIONS. LONDON. Feb. IS.

Cabinet sent Air Miles Lampson instructions for coinmunicafon to Mr O’AL'tlley laying down the lines on which’ negotiations with Chen c m he continued. It was pointed out (hat Sir A. Chamberlain announced hist week his readiness to authorise the signing of tho agreement and it was therefore that since Chen was also agreeable to sign, all the obstacles would bo eliminated. It is hoped il tho agreement is signed, it may be the beginning of a general settlement.

RETREAT TO SHANGHAI. SHANGHAI, Feb. 18. * tho retreat of a large portion of Sun Chtian Fang’s army into Kiang.su continues. Four thousand of the retreating army have arrived at Shanghai and at present are at the main railway station, which is on tho border of the international settlement. Also, streams of refugees are arriving from several miles north eastward of Hangchow within which area it is estimated there must still be thirty thousand of Sun’s troops. The railway line is completely blocked and there is sli i no telegraphic eommuiicatioii with Hangchow so it is impossible to confirm or deny the Nationalist statements here to tho effect that the city was looted and partially burned by northerners' before they - left. Nmgpo has been captured by Southerners. Sun s troops from that town who evacuated by sen have arrived at Shanghai.