REFUGEES IN DANGER

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVII, Issue 222, 19 August 1937, Page 9

REFUGEES IN DANGER

SHELLS LALL CLOSE TO SHIP

NIGHT ATTACK ON SHANGHAI

(United Press Association. —By Electric Telegraph. —Copyright.)

Received August 19, 9.45 a.m

SHANGHAI, Aug. IS

Six Japanese ships which the Chinese scuttled are blocking the Whangpoo River; included is a 9000-ton ship. All the crews have deserted their vessels.

The Japanese warships began a heavy shelling at 7.50 in the direction of Pootung and Nantao.

Two hundred and fifty English and American refugees leaving aboard a tender were caught between the fire of the Japanese gunboats and the Chinese shore forces. Bluejackets with machine-guns manned the sides of the tender while camouflaged Chinese snipers and machine-gunners ashore tried to pick oif the sailors aboard the warships Imsily shelling Shanghai. The refugees were nervous of the whizzing bullets and shells, but they did not panic.

-The Japanese naval attache states that a- brigade of Chinese to-day penetrated a-section of the International Settlement and attacked the Japanese cotton mills. They were driven off after a fierce battle, in which many were killed on both sides.

The Chinese have rejected a proposal for a neutral zone in Shanghai, contending that the English and Americans would not use force if the Japanese committed a breach of the neutrality.

Shanghai experienced its first night attack to-night, Japanese bombers droning through the moonlit sky and bombing Chapei, Kiangwan and Nantao. Buildings were set on fire.

The Domei News Agency, Tokio, says that the Chinese to-day fired on Japanese women and children refugees who were awaiting embarkation. Alany wez'e killed and wounded.