NORTHERNERS CROSS YANGTSE

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 134, 27 August 1927, Page 9

NORTHERNERS CROSS YANGTSE

CHINESE ARMIES IN CONFLICT MANY CASUALTIES AS OFFENSIVE OPENS By Cable—Press Association. — Copyright. Received 9.5 a.m. SHANGHAI, Friday. FE Northerners launched a general offensive against the Southerners, crossing the Yangtse under cover of fog, and landing at Lungtan, a small town midway between Nanking and Chinkiang, for the purpose of cutting off the retreat of the Southerners to Shanghai.

THE crossing was carried out with SO heavy-laden river craft towed by launches. A portion of the army was repelled when the Southern sentries observed the movement and directed a battery of machine-guns, compelling a retirement and many casualties. The Shanghai-Nanking railway was torn up by Northern spies last night,

suspending traffic and derailing a coolie train, six being killed. The bombardment of Nanking from across the river at Pukow continues. Guns are roaring incessantly, covering the movement of the ferries conveying the troops across the river. Already theer is a minor revolt in the Southern forces at Nanking.—A. and N.Z;