NEWS FROM NANKING

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVII, Issue 219, 16 August 1937, Page 2

NEWS FROM NANKING

WOUNDING OF FOREIGNERS,

CHINESE REGRETS.

Per Press Association. WELLINGTON, Aug. 16. The Chinese Consul received the following cablegram from Nanking this morning: Referring to the dropping of several bombs from two Chinese aeroplanes at 3.40 a.m. on August 15, in the International Settlement and the French Concession at Shanghai, which resulted in the death and wounding oi a large number of innocent people, the spokesman of the Military Command said: “It is a most deplorable incident which has caused as much regret and concern to the Chinese authorities as to the foreign communities. Upon investigation it was found that the aeroplanes in question, while engag ing in operations against the Japanese warships and other military objectives, were fired on by Japanese anti-air-cral't guns and, as a result, the pilots were injured and the bomb racks so damaged that the bombs released themselves, descending upon faces which had never been intended as the objective.of an attack. The selfrelease of the bombs was thus an unavoidable accident, not only with I,t the slightest intention ’ on the part of the aviators but really against thenown wish. ,11! “That innocent people should bear the consequences of the war in such an unexpected manner is indeed most regrettable. It is all the more regrettable when it is learned that most ot those killed and wounded by Chinese weapons are Chinese, and those tew foreigners who unfortunately shared tliesam e fate had been the friends ot China. . “Renewed orders have been given to the fightig forces,” said the spokesman, “to avoid hostilities, as fur as possible, in that part of the International Settlement of Shanghai which is not being used by the Japanese as a base of operations and in the whole of the French Concession, and it is hoped that cases of an extraordinary nature involving the loss of many innocent lives, but beyond the control of the Chinese combatants, may not occur again.” . The Chinese Consul has received another cablegram from Nanking, relating to the fighting at Shanghai, stating that the Chinese forces have made advances both in the Cliapei and I a *'fa Tse poo sectors and have practically encircled the Japanese nava headquarters at the end of the North Szechuen Road. At Yang Tse-poo where the Japanese landing ground is situated, the Chinese have closed in on the Japanese line. . . The Kungta cotton null, which served ns the 'headquarters for the Japanese officers, was occupied by the Chinese at 10.30 a.m. Fighting is expected to develop with further intensity this evening. The settlement authorities have advised the foreigners to move out from tho areas .northward ot Soocliow Creek. Tho cablegram states that reports agree that the Japanese will make extensive use of their aircraft and they are expected to bombard the Clunoso cities along the Nnnkiiig-Slinnghui and Shanghai-Hangcliow railways. Japanese 'pianos boomed the IN oiling railway station, between Soocliow and Quinsaii, this morning, but the damage is believed to be immaterial.