NAVAL EXPEDITION HALTED.

Marlborough Express, Volume LX, Issue 229, 28 September 1926, Page 2

NAVAL EXPEDITION HALTED.

TKEE5BLE CONDITIONS. AT WTJCHANG. PEKIX, Sept. 27. Tlie arfival of the hodiesi of Comn ander Darley and two. seamen victims of the Waiishicn incidcnt, at Hankow, proves that the "commandeered steamers. Wanshien and AVantung; have been released as promised by Yang-sen Meanwhile, the second naval expedition is remainjng at Iehang, pending further de\ elopments. Other vessels under the British flag have * been temporarily commandeered by the Reds for the purpc.iso of crossing the ATang;-tse. It is feared that tliis 1 is likely toi become a habit, resulting in further trouble. General AYupei-fu continues to rctreat and is now regarded as a r.egligible quaatity . Tlie anti-Red campaign is no;v almost solely in the hands of Sun-chuan-fang. AVuchang, which lias been besieged for 27 days, holds. out, hut the resistance is dwindling, on account of AVupai-fu, who has retreated, being unable to relieve the town, tventy-two foreigners are also unable to escape. They have not been communicated with l'or four days. The promise of the opposing armics to release. 50,000 to 60,000 women and children wa,s withheld at the last moment, due to the defending general sheltoring behipd their presence, as the Reds 'refrain from heavy shelling of the city and slaughtei'ing non-combatarits, Aleanwhile, civilians are dying on all sides from starvation, as thc soldiers are conimandeering the food.