CHINESE TROUBLE

Hokitika Guardian, 26 April 1928, Page 2

CHINESE TROUBLE

\id? sss vgS £ /.‘3-Juir. . VV's' VejSj: .. 2*** dVA {CiiitcU.! Association.-S-By Te 1 egra pli.—Copy right.) FEAH OF PIRATES. SIIAGHAf. April 23. Illustrating the extraordinary growth ol piracy in Chinese waters, the Cun-adiaii-Patilie litter Empress of Canada of 23.CU3 tons, which is in the Manila-Vancoiiver service, arrived at Shanghai from Hong Kong during liie

week end. carrying a guard of Jilly Hritish soldiers, a iKirtion of the 1 long Kong garrison loaned by the Governor as the result oi a i iimoiii that an attempt to seize the vessel had been planned. The rumour emanated from tiie recent piracy ol ihe Chinese .steamer Hsinwali, which was oliicci t'c! by foreigners, 'i he leader ol the pirates informed the Chinese purser that he was disappointed in the Hsinwali piracy, ami proposed to raid the next big British or American vessel. The guard was placed on Hu’ Empress ol Canada in order to case the minds of the passengers.

CHINESE Cl Y 11. WAR. (Received this day at S a.m.) SHANGHAI. April 21. A combined olfeiisive with every unit of the forces under (’liking Kai Slick and Feng Tusking, allied Nationalist generals, concentrated on the main sector of Tioiitsin-Pukow railway, was lauiielieil this afternoon in a linal effort to rapture the strategic city of Tsin;inl ii. .Shantung’s capital. Northern resistance has recently been strenglheiieil bv tlie arrival of reinforcements loaned by ( bang Iso Lin. but it is reported to be unable to withstand the attack, and the capture of Tsinaiilii is imminent. The Tinted States consul at Chefnio. an important Shantung port with considerable foreign population, has telegraphed requesting the despatch of a warship for the defence of nationals from bandit hordes, awaiting the expected collapse of the Shantung Government. Several American destroyers on the way from Manila are reported to he diverted to Cheloo.

Despite the outburst of protest Irom Nanking and Peking Governments the despatch to Shantung of Japanese troops is proceeding. A steady stream of the latter is pouring into Shantung in anticipation ol the I til I of lsiminiu ami consequent disorder and danger to

Japanese residents. Peking is reported to he genuinely perturbed at the war developments.