BRITISH AND AMERICAN SUBJECTS KILLED

Sun (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 3, 25 March 1927, Page 1

BRITISH AND AMERICAN SUBJECTS KILLED

NANKING IN FLAMES CRUISERS SHELL CITY ARMED PARTIES LANDED LOOTING BY IRREGULAR TROOPS By Cable . Press Association. — Copyright. The Cantonese army in continuation of its advance has captured Nanking. Cantonese irregulars shelled part of the foreign concession in the city, killing English and American subjects, and wounding the British Consul. The British and American consulates were looted. The city was later bombarded by British and American warships and is now reported to be in flames. After the bombardment, naval forces were landed. The situation in Shanghai is calmer, and the Cantonese commander has given an International deputation his assurance that he will maintain order in the city.

Received 10.40 a.m. SHANGHAI, Thursday. Chinese troops, believed to be Cantonese irregulars, shelled a hill near the north gate of Nanking, where foreigners are concentrated, killing an Englishman, Ur. Smith, and also some Americans. Mr. Giles, the British Consul, and another Englishman, were wounded. The warship Emerald and the American destroyers Noa and Preston, shelled the area around the hill to permit evacuation, after which the vessels landed armed parties. Further reports state that a third British resident and a* number of Americans were wounded. Undisciplined Cantonese troops looted the city, including the British Consulate, the American Consul and his staff taking refuge on a hill. The Shanghai Municipal Council issued a proclamation requiring the residents to remain indoors between ten at night and four in the morning. British and American warships at Nanking shelled the city for 17 minutes and partially destroyed it during mob riots. The city is reported to be in flames. —A and N.Z. The latest report from Nanking states that the naval rescuers approached the hill under renewed fire from the Cantonese, resulting In further foreign casualties, including some Americans. Ultimately, however, as a result of chis heroic effort, the remaining foreigners were evacuated. Mr Giles is reported to be not severely wounded. Probably there are other British casualties. SHELLING JJNEXPECTEB FEW WOMEN AND CHILDREN NO OFFICIAL NEWS (Received 11.12 a.m.) RUGBY, Thursday. Official information would make it appear that the foreigners shelled at Nanking could have included few women or children, as a number of foreign women and children had already left Nanking before the Cantonese occupation, and with the exception of a few who remained in the native city, the rest had been concentrated in buildings on the boundary where protection could be provided.—■ A. and N.Z. The Foreign Office has not yet received an official account of the shelling of Nankin, but it explains that the city was particularly difficult to defend. The plan was that in the event of trouble foreigners were to concentrate at the Standard Oil Company's premises, built on a hill close to the city wall, which would give them adequate protection against spasmodic rifle-fire, the characteristic of Chinese fighting, but not against shellin, which was unexpected. Th = idea was that, as a last resort, foreigD

I ers could be lowered in baskets by i night to warships in the river. This 1 method may yet be adopted, but the • authorities, however, are confident that the Cantonese regular com manders will soon succed in checking these unauthorised attacks.—Sun. Official quarters admit that as far as Shanghai is concerned, the troubles incidental to the change-over to the Cantonese, though completely justify ing the dispatch of the Defence Force, have been less serious than was expected. The interview between the International Delegation and General Pai Ching Hsi, the Cantonese commander, was reported to be satisfactory. The deputation made it clear that it could not tolerate a repetition of the events in Hankow. The general was conciliatory and accepted full responsisibility for the maintenance of order. The best guarantee of the Cantonese desire to check violence and looting is that the occupation of Shanghai has given them access to the richest money prize in China in the shape of customs revenue. oFrmerly the Cantonese objected strongly to the provisions of the Washington Treaty allocating revenues to local authorities From different ports now they are reaping the reward of this provision.—Sun.