Canton Menaced

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 661, 13 May 1929, Page 9

Canton Menaced

INVASION BY KWANGSI TROOPS BRITISH MARINES LANDED (United P.A. —By Telegraph — Copyright) (Australian and N.Z. Press Association) , SHANGHAI, Saturday. Disaffecied Kwangsi troops invaded the province of Kwangtung with the object of overthrowing the Canton Government. They attacked the Macao forts, on the south coast, the crews of several Chinese gunboats siding with them. A sharp engagement followed ill which Nationalist army airmen took part. The latter bombed the attacking vessels and inflicted heavy casualties. There is a temporary panic in Canton, hut it is not believed that foreigners are iu danger. A message from Hong-Kong says it is reported there that the Shameen bund at Canton is closed. British marines were landed as a precautionary measure. The foreign consuls and naval commanders met the Canton officials and asked that the rebellious warships should not take action against Canton while they were anchored off the bund. Admiral Shu refused to give any assurances. Thereupon he was detained on an American gunboat. Later he offered to hand over the Chinese fleet to the Canton Government on receipt of a payment of £300,000. This was refused. Although white flags were hoisted after the aerial demonstrations by Canton aviators the Cantonese forces had blown up an important railway bridge on the Kowloon-Canton railway in the meantime. Communication between Hong-Kong and Canton by rail will be impossible for many months.