FIGHTING IN SHANGHAI.

Waikato Times, Volume 121, Issue 20276, 19 August 1937, Page 9

FIGHTING IN SHANGHAI.

THE ISSUE STILL IN DOUBT. AEROPLANES DROP BOMBS ON CITY

FIERCE DUEL : ARTILLERY v. WARSHIPS. (United Press Assn. —Elec. Tel. Copyright.) (Received Aug- 19, 12.20 p.m.) SHANGHAI, August 18. After another day of bombardment, bombing, fires and street fighting in Shanghai, it is still impossible to say which side is winning, though the Mayor, Mr Yui, says the Chinese will have driven the Japanese back to their ships within a week. During to-night’s air raid one bomber scored a hit on the telephone exchange within the British defence area. Another bomber flew over the Chinese positions at Chapei and Kiangwan, where buildings were blown up and fires started. A third plane dropped no bombs but caused a panic among the inhabitants in the French Concession flying just above the roof tops. Both sides deny that the plane which bombed the telephone exchange was theirs but people who watched it from the roof tops insist that it was a Japanese. A fierce duel followed between the warships and Chinese artillery at Pootung, in which the Idzumo and other ships, stretching to Woosung, joined in. One shell set fire to the British cotton mills, and several fires are now raging. A fierce sixteen-hours’ battle in the city was ended by the withdrawal of Chinese troops who had forced their way into the International Settlement, many being killed on both sides.

BRITAIN'S ACTION.

PROTECTION OF NATIONALS. WIDER ISSUES DISCUSSED. (Omclal Wireless.) c (Received Aug. 19, 12.30 p.m.) RUGBY, Aug. 18. At yesterday's meeting of British Ministers at the Foreign Office, at J, which all possible measures to protect British lives and interests In | o Shanghai were decided upon, wider j a questions affecting tiie issues Involved I n in tiie far eastern situation were also i f considered with particular reference to 1> tiie position in Shanghai. The new-spaper reports, which appeared in certain quarters regarding | tiie nature of the decisions taken in this respect however are premature. NO ANALOGY. BRITISH ACTION IN 1927. JAPANESE CONDUCT IN 1937. (Omclal Wireless.) (Received August 19, 12.30 p.m.) RUGBY, August 18. With reference to llie comparison which was drawn in a statement issued by the Japanese Foreign Office between the present Japanese operations in Shanghai and British action in.192 when a division was sent to Shanghai ; lo protect British interests, the newspapers point out that there is in fact no analogy. ; in 1927 British interests were in ( danger from attack from disorganized ' Chinese soldiery and sufficiently largo forces to prevent their entry into the • . settlement were despatched, but the . British Government was careful not to 1 use these forces either for aggression or for political purposes. The result of this policy, afforded, It is claimed, testimony as 1 to its wisdom. i The present posllion, on the other s hand. Is that the Japanese in Shanghai are menaced by an attack from organ- > ised Chinese armies. If there were no Japanese troops in Shanghai it is very ? unlikely that such an attack would ho made. ‘ Any danger lo Japanese residents arising from the ehronie ill-will of till* Chinese population e.nild have l.i*(>n me 1 with rxlra police pr«*eaiilions. mid |ty measures in which the ' oilier Powers would have been only 100 glad to act in concert. Times’ Comments. The Times -s.-iys: ** In 1327 China was in tli" throes of a civil war. There was no lighting, im I there were strikes. Communist propaganda had inflamed almost all Hie native sections, and win'll the national troops entered Shanghai the natives’ quarters were givm over lo massacre and pillage, and only a strong force of British soldiers prevented Ihe rabble and panicstricken soldiers from over-running ’ the I nlerna I iona I Selllement. Great 1 Britain in 1927 merely did what she ;s " doing now—sho sent reinforeemeiils ‘ Pi safeguard life ami properly, and Hie ’’ ing effect.’’ AN OVERWHELMING DEFEAT. sm>i.) JAPANESE KILLED. | SUCCESS HF THE CHINESE. I 'idled I’m ss A-n l*T.*e. •-’el. o»i.,v NANKING. \ii —nsl IT I M.,,-sI,„l Uliana K.u ,':ds j quarters announce dial Ihe i .'liinese (1 troops defending Nankow. north ~f ! ' I eking, dofealed Ihe I r i Japanese, killing somt ~f the,,,. Tile ; ' | r Ihe Nanking Government for promulJ galiou. *

A DIFFICULT PROBLEM. SHANGHAI IN AVAR ZONE. REQUEST FOR EXCLUSION. United Press Assn.—Elec. Tel. Copyright (Received August 19, 11.45 a.m.) LONDON, August 18. It will be understood that any project to exclude Shanghai from tiie war zone will throw great responsibility on tbe European Powers and Americi as extensive guarantees would be demanded by the Japanese and the reinforcement of European troops might be necessary. The Domel Agency indicates that well-informed quarters in Toklo do not believe that Japan will agree to a simultaneous Chineso-Japaneso withdrawal on a mere oral third-party guarantee that pressure would be exerted to make the Chinese carry out their side of the withdrawal.

HEAVY SHELLING. I l 1 REFUGEES IN DANGER. | THE INTERNATIONAL SETTLEMENT ' CHTNESE BRIGADE PENETRATES- i United Tress Assn.—Elec. Tel. Copyright. (Received August 19, 11 a.m.) SHANGHAI, August 18. Six Japanese ships which the Chinese scuttled are blocking the river. They included a 9000-ton ship. All the crews have deserted the vessels. A Japanese warship began heavy shelling at 7.50 p.m. in the direction of Pootung and Nantao. Two hundred and fifty English and American refugees, when leaving aboard a tender, were caught between the fire ol' the Japanese gunboats and the Chinese shore forces. Bluejackets with machine-guns manned the sides of the tender while camullaged Chinese snipers and machine-gunners ashore hied to pick off the sailors aboard. The refugees were nervous at the whizzing bullets and shells, but did not panic. A Fierce Battle. The Japanese naval attache stales that a brigade of Chinese penetrated n section of the Inlcrnational Settleb'li mills. They uw,.",lriw,?"!,(? after a Horn battle, in xvliieb nianj yvere killed on bolli sides. REFUGEES FIRED ON. WOMEN AND CHILDREN KILLED. CHINESE ACCUSE JAPANESE. United Press Assn.—Elec. Tel. Copyright. J (Received August 19, 11 a.m.) TmKIO, Aw-m-d is. !