ALARM IN SHANGHAI

Sun (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 4, 26 March 1927, Page 1

ALARM IN SHANGHAI

MORE CRUISERS DESPATCHED MANY VICTIMS AT NANKING AMERICAN AND JAPANESE ACTION The situation in Shanghai following the Nanking outrages is extremely apprehensive. An attack on the International Settlement is expected. America is rushing cruisers to Shanghai and Britain and Japan are sending military reinforcements. As a result of the American admiral’s ultimatum threatening to combine with the British in a bombardment of Nanking, foreigners are being delivered in safety out of the city. Ten British and 100 American subjects have not been accounted for in Nanking. By Cable. —Press Association.-—Copyright

Received 9.35 a.m. SHANGHAI, Friday. The situation is hourly becoming graver, and everything is' pointing to the foreigners being faced with a titanic struggle to prevent total annihilation. The Cantonese forces are gathering rapidly outside the International Settlement, and the authorities expect an attempt to capture it. America is rushing cruisers from Honolulu, 'Portugal from Macao, and Britain is sending reinforcements from Hong-Kong. Japan is pouring in thousands of troops, and the Japanese destroyers are heading for Nanking and Shanghai in large numbers. The Royal Marines have occupied industrial buildings, principally in the British centre, in anticipation of the Cantonese surrounding the Settlement. The gates have all been barricaded. *nd closed. All traffic is supervised and searched, and guards have been trebled and international patrols arranged. Admiral Williams’s threatened bombardment of Nanking has been postponed because the Chinese are delivering all foreigners safely out of the city. A ’White House announcement declares that America is roused over the situation, and President Coolidge U taking personal charge of the direc tion of negotiations, and instructions--to Admiral Williams. —A. and N.Z. NANKING OUTRAGES WORST EXPERIENCED BRITAIN SEEKS PEACE Received 11 a.m. LONDON, Friday. News received by the Foreign Office confirms the very grave character of events at Nanking, which constitute the worst anti-foreign outrages so far experienced. Reports show that as soon as the northern troops abandoned the city, guerilla bands, calling themselves Cantonese, but in reality uncontrolled free-lance looters, rushed in and be gan thieving and attacking foreigners. The cruiser Jerald had to open shrapnel fire and the destroyer Wolsey is now steaming to Nanking. The gunboat Cricket is escorting merchant ships with American refugees from the interior aboard. The Cricket will be used to evacuate British subjects from Nanking. The latest official information does not give the full casualty list, but states that at present ten British and a hundred Americans have not yet been accounted for. Steamers on the Yangtse were fired on from both banks around Chinkiang, where women and children were being evacuated. The situation at Shanghai continues to improve, the Cantonese regulars succeeding in rounding up and disarming the gunmen who terrorised the city during the past few days. The general strike has ended and work is partially resumed. The serious events at Nanking evoked doubts regarding the possi bility of proceeding with the policy of conciliation outlined in Sir Austen Chamberlain's memorandum, but it is authoritatively stated that although the incidents make it harder to put the British policy into operation on broad lines, the policy applicable to China as a whole will not be affected. —Sun.

The British, American and Japanese Consulates at Nanking have been destroyed. The British Consul, Mr. Giles, has succumbed to his wounds. All the Japanese houses in the city have been completely looted, but the Japanese Consul and other Japanese are safe. Two were slightly wounded. —A. and N.Z. SAFETY DEMANDED FOREIGNERS IN NANKING AMERICAN ULTIMATUM By Cal .e. Press Association. —Copyright WASHINGTON, Friday. Admiral Williams, in charge of the

United States Naval forces in China, h'a.s cabled to the Navy Department stating that he has notified the Cantonese that unless all foreigners are brought safely to the British and American warships by 10 o’clock tomorrow morning the combined fleet will open fire upon Nanking, treating it as a military area. -ie Chinese commander has been given until 11 o'clock to-night to appear on board the British warship Emerald to start negotiations. Admiral Williams has grave fears or the safety of 155 American women and children left in Nanking.—Sun. FLEEING FROM NANKING REFUGEES ESCAPE ESCORT FIRED ON Received 9 a.m. SHANGHAI, Friday. It is now reported that Captain Spear, a British intelligence officer, is missing at Nanking, whither General Chiang Kai-shek, Nationalist commander, is hurrying to restore order. A wireless message from Nanking states that Admiral Hough, of the American navy, met the Cantonese general with whom he negotiated for the evacuation of the remaining foreigners. The ship Kungwo, which left Nanking yesterday with refugees, was escorted by the American destroyer Preston, which was fired on at Chinkiang. The Preston returned fire. Conditions up the river have taken an ugly turn as a result of fresh antiforeign outbreaks during the past few dayc Wireless messages state that American women and children are now evacuating Hankow, while English and American women and children at Chinkiang have been concentrated ashore with the destroyers standing by ready to evacuate them if necessary. The latest reports from Nanking describe the situation as critical. The British and American naval author! ties are working close together in friendly co-operation. Ninety-nine

Americans, including 44 women, 38 children, and 15 Britishers are still not evacuated. Dr. J. E. Williams, an American, vice-president of the Nanking University, is known to be dead. The British steamer, Wenchow, took 20 American missionaries from Chinkiang, where many foreign houses were looted, following an anti-foreign demonstration. —Sun. Received 7.30 a.m. WASHINGTON, Friday. Admiral Williams has ordered three more cruisers, the Peary, Ford, and Pillsbury, from Manila to Shanghai, and from there to Swatow, Amoy and Foochow. in addition to these, three more have already been dispatched from Honolulu to Shanghai. There are already 21 United States vessels at Shanghai or other Yangtse ports.—Sun.