YANGTSE SHIPPING

Wairarapa Times-Age, 11 June 1938, Page 7

YANGTSE SHIPPING

BRITAIN & JAPAN REACH DEADLOCK REFUSAL TO REOPEN RIVER. CIVILIANS TAKING FLIGHT FROM HANKOW. SHANGHAI, June 10. It is authoritatively stated that the Anglo-Japanese negotiations for the reopening of the Yangtse River to shipping reached a deadlock through the Japanese refusing to reopen the river. Bitter fighting is in progress at Chengchow, the junction of the Han-kow-Peking and Sian-Suchow railways.

The Chinese admit that the Japanese are 15 miles from the town, and the Japanese predict that its fall is imminent.

Hankow is the seat of the Chinese Government, which is being removed from the city, but it is not known where Marshal Chiang Kai-shek will establish his headquarters. It is surmised that the military centre will be somewhere in the Hunan Province, and ultimately at Yunnanfu, with the civil administration centred at Chungking.

The civilian population of Hankow is crowding all forms of west-bound and south-bound transport.

JAPANESE WARSHIPS CONCENTRATING.

■.CHINESE REPORT SINKING GUNBOAT. (Recd This Day, 9.30 a.m.) SHANGHAI, June 11. Forty-two warships are concentrating on the Yangtse Kiang east of Wuhu, preparatory to attacking Hankow. The Chinese claim that their bombers sank a Japanese gunboat in the Yangtse west of Tatung and repulsed a landing party. The Chinese at Chengchow are holding out against artillery and tanks and repulsed the Japanese.