CLAIM RIDICULED

Wairarapa Times-Age, 5 July 1938, Page 7

CLAIM RIDICULED

NO JAPANESE WARSHIPS SUNK ACCORDING TO NAVAL SPOKESMAN. FIGHTING IN THE YANGTSE VALLEY. . SHANGHAI, July 4. The Japanese naval spokesman ridicules the Chinese claim that they sank Japanese warships at Anking. He says that the Japanese vessels were not even hit. “The fact is that the Chinese bombers have not registered a hit on a warship during the whole of the war,” he added. A Chinese communique admits that, owing to the floods causing a rise in the Yangtse River, Japanese warships and transports have crossed the Mating boom, though constantly harried by Chinese bombers. On landing the Japanese were promptly engaged by the, Chinese, who are concentrating at the entrance to Poyang Lake to prevent the Japanese from advancing toward Nanchang. JAPANESE ASSERTION. SOVIET PLANES SHOT DOWN IN CHINA. (Recd This Day, 9.15 a.m.) TOKIO, July 5. The Japanese assert that eight Chinese bombers, shot down at Anking, were of Soviet manufacture and were piloted by Russians. RAID ON FOOCHOW. BRITISH CONSUL’S HOUSE BOMBED. CANTON, July 4. The Chinese report that the Japanese last Friday bombed the residence of the British Consul at Foochow. So far no details are available.