DIALOGUES AT SHANGHAI

Hokitika Guardian, 25 June 1927, Page 3

DIALOGUES AT SHANGHAI

CORPORAL AND CHIN USE OFFICER.

SHANGHAI. May 1. Life in the Defence Force has its humours. A Cantonese Army officer who had got into the Shanghai settlement by devious means was stopped by two Gloucester men and marched along to their advanced headquarters. The tororal searched him for arms. Nothing dangerous was found. Then the corporal cross-examined him. “Now. John, what for you comee inside settlement'”

lit reply a long speech in Chinese. “Cut it out,’’ interrupted the. corporal. “You belong north? You belong south? Yes—no?” ■'l'he Chinese officer saluted 1 lie corporal and also saluted separately every private- of his Majesty’s Army present, and proceeded to make another long speech in Chinese.

“Chuck him hack over the wire in to 1 1 is own yard suggested a Ton

Tho corporal agreed, tche Chinese officer smiled and bowed to all of us They were Jbuiit to lead him away to the barbed wire harrier when an officer tend an interpreter arrived. , The position was soon cleared up. The Chinese officer was at last able to gejt. home his explanation, lie was carrying a message to the Southern Army (headquarters n the native city of Shanghai and had taken a short cut through the British settlement. And in addition he also had the mtenuni of visiting his lady-love, now residing in the British settlement.

The sympathy oil all sides was immediate and general. Cutler escort ho was marched away on his mission of love and duty.

As tho Chinese officer departed the corporal appealed to the privates present: “Why the ’ell didn’t he say so.” THE LITERARY ADMIRAL.

Where is the Chinese Navy? I can write from personal ku iwlodge of the whereabouts of a. large section of it - three small cruisers. The rest of the Fleet theft! ;i re only about ten all told —a re somewhere south. Two of the cruisers ! know are lied up to a wharf at Tsing-t.au, u;p North. 1 hoarded one of them and was received with charming hospitality in liltli.v quarters by a bright young admiral. In the Chinese Nav.v there is one admiral per ship and lie acts independently of any other admiral. My naval host, was formerly a literary man with military tastes. His Iriend. Marshal Cluing Tso-Lin. did mil lanes him as a general, so lie made him an admiral, knowing well enough that there was never any likelihood of the ship going to sea. For three months the cruiser has been without coal or

Win a my friend the admiral took over command he pul it pditcly to the good citizens that unless they provided funds foi pay and foal lie would steam out and bombard tho town. The citizens 'Were .not impressed. They know well enough that the cruiser was inea.pahle of manoeuvring into position to shell—and even if she could the agricultural gunners could not work the guns. Tin; second ship’s story is milch tin* same. The third is at I’orl Arthur, where she was overhauled by .: Japanese dock company about two years ago. The admiral was unable to pay the l.ill. so the Japanese hold her in pawn. She is still in pawn and now requires overhauling, again.