CHINA SITUATION EASIER

Sun (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 5, 28 March 1927, Page 1

CHINA SITUATION EASIER

DANGEROUS DAYS OVER

STORY OF NANKING RESCUES

The situation in Nanking and Shanghai is now much less dangerous than it was. The reports from Nanking show that the casualty list there was much lighter than at first t hought. The missing foreigners are now all safe. At Shanghai there was a great Chinese demonstration outside the French Concession, but no incidents Rowed it. Mr. Ashmead-Bartlett, the war correspondent, gives an account of events at Nanking during the stormy days of last week. ' By Cable. —Press Association.—Copyright

Reed. 10.15 a.m. LONDON, Sunday. Chinese news received at the Foreign Office shows that the situation at Nanking and Shanghai is less critical, mainly owing to the presence of British and other defence forces But the position of foreigners in other centres, notably Chung King, I Chang, and Chang Sha is most precarious. The United States has ordered all Americans to evacuate the whole area occupied by the Cantonese, except Shanghai. The British authorities are leaving the question of the evacuation of Britishers to the decision of local Consuls. At Shanghai, the Cantonese military forces seized the steamer Kiangwo near Wuhu on the Yangtse, for the conveyance of 2,000 troops down the river. Responding to the signals of distress the warship Wild Swan went alongside, disarmed the soldiers and put them ashore. The three senior Chinese officers were detained and the ship was released. General Chiang Kai Shek, Generalissimo of the Nationalists, arrived at Shanghai, and is quartered at Lungwha Arsenal. He is taking command of the forces at present stationed around Shanghai. He was met on arrival by the Soviet Consul. Later, when interviewed, he made the statement that he did not think it was necessary to resort to forceful measures in Shanghai, but the Nationalists were prepared to utilise every economic weapon at their disposal to attain their ends. The questions of treaties and other rights would be discussed at the proper time and place. SHANGHAI QUIET MASS MEETING HELD ANOTHER STRIKE ADVOCATED Kec. 11 a.m. SHANGHAI, Sunday. The (lay passed quietly in the international settlements, though a huge mass meeting held in the Chinese city bordering on the French Concession was attended by Generals ChiaugKai Shek and Pai Chlng Shi. A resolution was passed demanding immediate retrocession of the foreign settlements in Shanghai and advocating another general strike. The crowds afterwards demon strated in the streets, but no incidents were reported from the border posts. General Chiang Kai Shek yesterday requested and was given permission to pass through the international settlement to-day, but he did not come. The French Concession is attempting to strengthen its boundaries and foreigners, including many British anil Americans residing there have petitioned the French Government to over-rule the consul and request fmther aid. The consul had previously refused the settlement's assistance because he did not want General Duncan to take charge of both the settlement and the concession, defences. It is now reported that the French authorities, unless the position improves, are likely to accept General Duncan s otter It is also reported that General Duncan and General Butler, the American commander, conferred and decided that if necessary for the protection of English and American lives and property within both the settlement and the concession, they would be forced to take over the concession. —Sun. MOB’S VIOLENCE HOW FOREIGNERS WERE SAVED CHINESE UNDER SHELL-FIRE Reed. 11.45 a.m. RUGBY, Saturday. A connected narrative of events at Nanking is now available. Mr Ashmead-Bartlett, the correspondent of the “Daily Telegraph ' saj s that by a pre-arranged plan all the foreigners should have been concentrated in the International Expoi - building on the Bund outside the walls, where they could have been removed to ships without much difticulty. But in the general confusion, which followed the entry of the Cantonese, only a portion succeeded in reaching the building. The remainder made for Seeonv Hill inside the walls of the town on rising ground visible to the warships in the river. The moment of the departure of tne Northern troops saw the Cantonese gunmen, long-concealed in town, conic forth to loot and attack the foreigneis. It is evident that Mr. Giles, the British Consul-General, was wounded in this first rush on the consulate, which was protected by six marines from the warship Emerald. Shortly after the attack by gunmen, the regular Cantonese Army entered the city and got completely out of

hand, running wild and looting all the shops and the British, American and Japanese Consulates. At four o’clock on Thursday afternoon the situation became very grave, for from the warships a large mob mingled with the regular soldiers, was seen advancing against the refugees on Secony Hill. Hasty consultation between the captain of the Emerald and the commander of the American destroyers, led to the instant decision to protect the refugees by a heavy barrage of shrapnel. This policy alone saved the lives of nearly 100 men, and some women, for the shrapnel kept off the Cantonese who had never met shell fire before. Taking advantage of the respite, the refugees made their way through the tortuous winding streets to the only gate giving access to the River Bund. Here they found that the British and American marines, just landed, who covered their retirement to ships, without a single casualty. From this moment all communication was cut off with the British and Japanese Consulates, and various reports and rumours stated that the consul was dead, together with Captain Spear and his escort, and that the Japanese consul had also been murdered. These fortunately have turned out to be incorrect, but Dr. Williams, vice-presi-dent of Nanking University, has been murdered in cold blood in the streets on Thursday afternoon. After the ships had put up an effective barrage General Pei Chenwei, 1" I commandant of the Cantonese sent off to the Emerald an emissary demanding the cession of the bombardment. Th renior officers of British and ' meric n vessels ieplied that he must himself come off and discuss the situa'ion not later than 10 o’clock. He l .died to turn up, and the naval commanders were now in a difficult position for although the majority of > foreigners were safe, 10 British and about 100 Americans, reported to be missionaries and their families, remained somewhere in the city and tneir fate was unknown. Moreover, t-ero were the British Consul, who was known to be wounded, and the Japanese 'Consul, whose fate was un-. certain, and their escorts. It cient forces from the ships to was impossible to land sufllstorm the walied city, and it was likewise impossible to bombard the military points in darkness. Therefore, after ten o’clock an ultimatum was sent to General Pei Chenwei, ordering him to deliver all remaining foreigners on the Bund by 10 o’clock on Friday morning, otherwise the commanders threatened t,o take most drastic measures. During the whole of these proceedings the warships were freely sniped by Cantonese troops from both sides of the* river. One bluejacket being killed on the Emerald.

In the morning no reply was received to the ultimatum and no foreigners were handed over. Admiral Hough arrived in a despatch boat to take command of the American forces and urgent consultations were held between him and the British senior naval officer. The American admiral was so impressed with the gravity of the situation that he cabled to the American Commanded-in-Chief at Shanghai that he considered if concrete action were not taken farmly and immediately, the lives of the remaining Americans and British subjects wAild be lost. He recommended the shelling of military points and this action was approved. , . He recommended the shelling of military points and his action was aprpoved jointly by the British and American commanders-in-chief at Shanghai, and a final warning to this effect was sent to the Cantonese commandant at 6 o’clock on Friday evening. It was announced that Mr. Giles was lightly wounded and that Captain Spear and the whole consular party, including some marines, also wounded, had been handed over by the Cantonese commander and that drastic action had been postponed. —A. and N.Z.