STRONG DEFENCE

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVIII, Issue 50, 27 January 1938, Page 11

STRONG DEFENCE

ADVANCE OF JAPANESE. LUNGHAI RAILWAY FRONT. ATTACKERS HALTED. (United Press Association. —By Electric Telegraph.—Copyright.) Received January 27, 8.5 a.m. LONDON, Jftn. 26. The Times Shanghai correspondent and the British United Press correspondent at Shanghai suggest that there is a hold up of the Japanese advance to strategic points on tlio Lungliai railway. The Times correspondent says there have been no movements lor a week. . . Military observers are of opinion that there is a hitch somewhere. The Japanese, after a long period of no opposition, are now encountering strong resistance, which has compelled them to await reinforcements. Meanwhile, the Chinese claim minor successes in counter-attacks between Tsining and Ycncliow. The British United Press says that the most active Japanese column lias not progressed in ten days. Chinese guerrilla forces at Suiyuan have been ordered to begin a general offensive to prevent the transfer of the Japanese towards Lungliai. _ The Chinese are closing in on Isining on three sides, and claim to have driven back the Japanese to the \Vci River. Scores were drowned under withering machine-gun fire. The Chinese have recaptured Lungwangmaio and also claim to be surrounding Cliuangcliueng, in Anhwei Province. NO SOLDIERS SIGHTED. The Tokio correspondent of the Asahi Sliimbun says that in a threehour flight to the Lungliai railway lie did not sight one Chinese soldier. The fortifications were not substantial. _ Five Chinese bombers raided Nanking and one was brought down. Mr O. Ivaya (Minister of Finance; in the Diet said that the s;en would be maintained at the rate of Is 2d to prevent harmful inflation. The Foreign Office, in reply to a French inquiry about the Japanese encroachment on Hainan Island on January ■ 19, explained that a warship investigated the report that Chinese junks were using the port to avoid the blockade. Machine-guns on tlio shore fired on the warship and launches, whereupon the Japanese destroyed the machine-gun nest and withdrew towards the sea.

ECONOMIC COMMISSION.

GOVERNMENT AT PEKING.

PEKING, Jan. 26

The Government is creating a Chin-ese-Japanese economic commission, under the chairmanship of the former Chinese Minister of Customs, assisted by three Chinese and three Japanese representatives.

NARROW ESCAPE.

SOVIET AMBASSADOR.

LONDON, Jan. 25

A Shanghai message states that M. Orelsky, the newly-appointed Soviet Ambassador to China, while proceeding to Hankow by air, made a forced landing at Icliang. The Japanese made an air raid on the town soon alter bis arrival. A bomb exploded close to him but he was not injured. CHINESE SAILORS. REFUSAL TO MAN SHIP. SAN FRANCISCO, Jan. 26. After a conference with the operators the Chinese a.nd British Consuls decided to remove 39 Chinese sailors from the British freighter Federal liecause of their refusal to sail to Osaka with a cargo of steel, on the ground that it would he used for ammunition to kill their countrymen. It was agreed to transport the sailors to China in another ship. The Federal will engage a new crew for the voyage to Japan.

DAMAGE TO PROPERTY,

JAPANESE SUFFER,

TOKTO, Jan. 26.

Japanese interests in Tsingtao have sustained damage to the value or £29,000,000 as the result of the recent fires.

SOVIET ACTIVITIES

IN FAR EASTERN WATERS.

DISTURBING TO JAPAN.

LONDON, Jan. 26.

Soviet military and naval activity is disturbing Japan, states the lokio correspondent of the Daily telegraph. Fears of Russian intervention in China have been revived. The newspapers fully report Soviet preparations. Travellers assert that they have seen numbers of Russian submarines in Far Eastern waters. The disciplining of the Red army and navy is reported to bo most severe. Troops are subjected to rigorous active service training daily.

A message from Hong Kong on Tuesday stated: A foreigner who recently toured the Soviet Far Eastern territory informed the China Mail that Japanese reports of Soviet activities underestimated the position. He declared that the Soviet maritime provinces are virtually on a war footing. A hundred submarines have been commissioned at Vladivostok, the coastline is being fortified and hundreds ot warplanes have been assembled, fepy mania is intense.

DIVIDED AIMS. JAPANESE ARMY AND NAVY. LONDON, Jan. 18. “The Japanese have gone too far to expect a negotiated peace, and not far enough to enforce a dictated peace,” says the Manchester Guardian. “The civilian authorities are rightly nervous of the economic strain of the international situation.

“The army demands vigorous action in the north, in order to improve its precarious position and prepare against possible Soviet intervention. The navy demands expansion southward, plus a declaration of war—meaning blockade. The navy has an eye on Britain. The navy policy is most dangerous, and is therefore opposed by the Cabinet. “The decision seems to he a compromise between army and civilian views, with the navy in disgruntled opposition. , , , . , . , “That amiable Anglopliobe, Admiral

Suetsugi (Minister for the Interior), has been defeated for the moment. That is not to say that he will not try again,” it is added. “If the attack on Canton is postponed, it will probably be due to the army’s refusal to supply men until the position in the north is more secure. The navy can hardly, by itself, go heyonu experimental landings.”

MANCHUKUO BORDER.

JAPANESE RUSH TROOPS

SHANGHAI, Jan. 14. Following reports that 40,000 Russian troops had entered Outer Mongolia, 20.000 Russian-trained Mongolian troops have concentrated in the Suiyuan Province, recently overrun bv the Japanese. 'The Japanese are rushing troops to the Mancliukuo border and pressure in South China has thus been relieved. . Reports that Madame Chiang Kaishek had left Hong Kong for Hankow' are believed to have been pat out to mislead the Japanese.

HONG KONG’S DEFENCES.

“INVULNERABLE FROM AIR.”

SYDNEY, Jan. 14

Submarines that look like Chinese dragons, the most up-to-date ’piano carrier in the world, the Eagle, and the anti-aircraft guns that defend Hong Kong from aerial attack were described by Captain P. St. A. Sharpham, a master mariner, at a meeting of the Royal Life Saving Society. Captain Sharpham said that the aerial defences of Hong Kong were invulnerable. There were 40 or 50 searchlights that pierced the heaviest cloud, and once caught up in the light an enemy ’plane would be “done.” Captain Sharpham said that the Eagle was the last word as a naval aircraft carrier. She had arrived at Hong Kong within the last few months.

There were no battleships on the China station, he added, but it was rumoured Wat there were some “not far away.” /if Captain Sharpham, before his departure for China nine years ago, was a menibey of the Royal Life-Saving Society, and was an instructor. He intends again to settle in Sydney.