FRENCH CAUSE FRICTION.

North Otago Times, Volume CVII, Issue 17170, 29 March 1927, Page 5

FRENCH CAUSE FRICTION.

AMERICANS WILL INTERVENE. ! CURFEW STRICTLY ENFORCED. !( Received Monday 10.30 p.m. SHANGHAI, March 28. { The French concession is atempt- ! ing to strengthen its boundaries, I and foreigners residing therein have petitioned the French Government to overrule the consul, and S have requested further aid. The { consul previously refused the set_ i tlements assistance because he did not want General Duncan to take charge of both settlement and concession defences. It is now reported that the French authorities, unless j the position improves, are likely to j accept General Duncan's' offer. It is j also reported that General Duncan | and Butler (the American general) ! had a conference and decided that if it was necessary for the protection of Anglo-American lives ^ind property within both the settlement and the fconcessions they would be frced to take over the/ concession, General Duncan is considering the peHtion of the residents of the Frenc ^concession to take over its defence. The French concession is Shanghai's chief industrial centre, • and many British and Americans who iconsider the French plans for defence inadeqnate, are living in const§mt fear of Cantonese attacks. The total French force, including regular and special police volunteers, colonial, Senegalese and Annamite troops is three thousand. "There is friction between the French consul and/ Ihe French defence commanders. The latter are reported to be agreea'ble to let General Duncan have control. A notorious hotbed of agitation has been taken over by a strong^orce of Japanese marines. The Durhams have thus been relieved and transferred to reinforce the British lines on the Western boundary. General Butler, of the American marines declared that he was prepared to despatch marines to the French concession the instant there was danger. Yesterday many French concession residents, becoming alarmed, evacuated the international settlement. All have been notified of the concentration plans, bugle hlasts being the signal, and the curfew is rigidly en- | forced at ten o'clock. No Chinese | and only foreigners with perrnits ; will he allowed abroad. To-day is i passing quietly.