BRITISH IN CHINA

Hokitika Guardian, 4 October 1927, Page 3

BRITISH IN CHINA

AAIERICAN TBIRUTE. HOAV THEY SAVED SHANGHAI. VANCOUVER, Aug. 22. How 8000 British troops saved Shanghai and 900,000.000 dollars in gold and silver from the overwhelming odds of 200,000 Chinese was told by ATr R. .1. Tozor, of Seatlle, AA’asliington, when that worthy arrived in Vancouver. Art- Tozor is the assistant general passenger agent for the Northern Pacific Railway and recently returned from his post in China.

ATr Tozor, a mild-mannered man, about 45. had nothing hilt praise for the British Government in the Orient. He excoriated his own country’s representatives for lack of courtesy to the traveller in foreign lands.

‘China to-day,” Mr Tozor related

“is tho puzzle of the civilised world. The Northern miltlary forces, hacked financially by one of the Far Eastern countries, is fighting the Southern or Cantonese form of Government. The Southern Government, started by Dr Sun A'at Sen, on the idea of the United States form of government, is popular with the younger set in China. The Northern forces are those of the old war lords of China. But the thing of interest in China to-day to tho outside world is the safety of the foreigners in that far-off country. Let mo say right here that, although being a citizen of the United States, born and bred, proud of my country, J must take my hat olf to the manner in which the British Government protects her nationals away from home. “AYlien the Cantonese hordes swarmed up from the south and threatened to ‘take’ Shanghai, the British Government played their war game like men playing chess. ’I hey timed the movements of the Chinese troops moving upon Shanghai, and sent a relief corps out from England. The English troops arrived 24 hours ahead of the Chinese. “Tho foreign, settlements, British, United States and French, are on what is known as The Bund, facing tho AA'hangpo River. A crack British fleet sailed up this river just one day ahead of the savage yellow men o p the south. “Eight thousand troops were sent ashore. Battle plans had been mapped out during the trip from England. Shanghai and the surrounding district had liecn mapped out in squares. BRITISH TO AIM Y TO RESCUE. “ Each of the battleship’s guns had been trained on each of these squares, and then began a siege of waiting. Eight thousand trained troops of Britain had to combat 200,000 Cantonese soldiers. And don’t let anyone tell you that the Chinese soldier is not thoroughly trained and equipped with the latest implements of modern warfare. The Russians have seen to it that they are. Russia sent down IS military experts and trained the army of the South. “At night we could see the blaze of countless camp fires. The British sentry had his orders at night: ‘Don’t challenge. Shoot, and shoot to kill.’ And they did. “That mob of hungry half-savages could have taken Shanghai by nothing but force of numbers. But they kail not forgotten the lesson taught them in the Boxer campaign. The entire foreign settlement was hemmed in, surrounded. But tho Union Jack waved from the ships on the rivei. And the British Tommy was standing by on The Bund. The English army officers, although realising more than any of us the seriousness of the situation, were the coolest of us all. “And there were 38 warships ‘standing to ’on the river. The aeroplane tenders Argus and Hermes were there. The flyers were aching to take the air. But I can’t forget those 200,00 Chinese troops. They were troops as well trained as the British.

“ Finally Chang Kni-Chek sent an ultimatum to General Gordon, commander of the British forces: ‘I intend to take the French quarter in 24 hours.’

“ Now. no Englishman lived in the French quarter. French and United States citizens lived there. Listen to the reply of the British commander: « Tf a single white man. regardless of his nationality, is harmed by you or vour troops. I’ll wipe your city of Shanghai off the map in just four hours. Take your choice.’ “Chang did. He did not attack then or since? There has been a lot said ( about the United States marines. They. sent the right man to China when they, picked on General Smedley Butler. But the United States marines arrived after the British had saved the day, despite the Press reports to the contrary. AVe folk who lived there in fear of our lives and property know. “j n appreciation for what the British troops did for us, the 4000 United States citizens who were saved by British protection got up a tooled leather hook, each signing his name. It was addressed to King George and Parliament, expressing the gratitude of the United States residents of Shanghai.”