TOWARD HANKOW

Sun (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 43, 13 May 1927, Page 11

TOWARD HANKOW

northern advance GREAT MiLITARY ACTIVITY COMMUNIST FORCE DISPERSES gy Cable. — .Press Association.—Copyright Reed. 11.30 a.m. RUGBY, Thursday. Messages from China state that General Yang Sen, who was in command of the Chinese forces at Wanhsien, arrived at Ychung on Sunday, and apparently the usual looting of the native city took place, but foreign property was untouched. Yang Sen is reported also to have taken ove:r Shasi and to be joining up with Wu Pei Fu's troops on the River Han for the advance on Hankow. Armed peasantry known as “Red Spears” are still operating on the Hupeh-Henan border against the Southerners and have destroyed the bridges further south. The Feng Tien troops have not advanced beyond Chumatien. At Chingkiang there is considerable troop movement down the river toward Cueishen, and all the available water transport has been commandeered by the Southern general, Hoying Yin. The consulate offices, and nearly all the foreign houses in the British Concession were yesterday occupied by the troops despite the proclamations forbidding this action. The consular officer has requested the withdrawal of the troops. The Communist force which was marching on Swatow, is reported to have dispersed at Puning. With reference to the rumours regarding the purpose of the visit which Sir Miles Lampson, British Minister in Peking, is paving to Shanghai, it is emphatically stated that its sole purpose is to enable the Minister to study the situation himself, and to consult with the naval commander-in-chief, Admiral Tyrwhitt, the commander of the Shanghai Defence Force, General Sir John Duncan, and the British consular officials there.—A. and N.Z.

CHIANG CO-OPERATES

By Cable. —Press Association.—Copyright Reed. 10.50 a.m. SHANGHAI, Thurs. Forty thousand of Marshal Chiang Kai-shek’s troops crossed the Yangtse 40 miles up the river from Nanking for the purpose of co-operating with General Chen Tiao Yuen in attacking Pengpu and the northern communications of the Cantonese. It is reported that they won a victory at Luchowfu in the Anhwei province, but are threatened by attacks in the Kiangsu province. Extremists are digging trenches and trecting fortifications in expectation. The Northerners are reported to be occupying Tsungming Island at the mouth of the Yangtse close to Shanghai. Several Northern warships have left Tsingtao for the south.

News from Hankow is contradictory but it is comparatively certain that General Yang-sen, whose action precipitated the Wanhsien incident, has formed an alliance with Chiang Kaiihek. b -. French residents at Ichang are under orders to prepare for evacuation within a few hours in view’ of the situation which is rapidly becoming worse. —A. and N.Z.