for
BUICK China" Mail
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Telephone Central 1246 or 1247.
33, Wong Nel Chung Road,, Happy Valley.
BSTABLISHED
1845
No. 25,742 HONG KONG, TUESDAY, DECEMBER 13, 1927.
HONG KONG OVERTURES. TROOPS IN CHINA.
ATTEMPT TO EXTEND CANTON COUP.
OFFER TO LOCAL WORKERS.
Government Troops May Oust Communists.
.KWANGSI ADMINISTRATION TRYING TO REGAIN CONTROL.
Efforts have been made to extend the influence of the Canton Communist coup to Hong Kong but no response has been forthcom ing. Written circulars have been dropped in on workmen in the Colony asking them to join in a one-day strike which was suggested _for_to-day.
By to-night it is expected that the Canton Government forces will have regained the upper hand in the struggle with their oppon- ents. Reinforcements are arriving at Canton to supplement the
Now Nine Infantry Units Here,
PARLIAMENT'S THANKS.
Tommies From Shanghai Run Out Of Cigarettes.
London, Yesterday. In the House of Commons, re- plying to Mr. Wellock, Captain
UNDER FIRE.
Threatened Invasion At Wuchow.
KWANGSI VICTORIES.
Bandit Forces Defeated By Provincial Tropps.
PRICE, $3.00 Per Month.
"TOO SEVERE?
Boarding Sentences Revised.
MARINE COURT DECISION.
Skipper Fined Though Compradore At Fault.
Mr. M. K. Le appeared at the (From An Occasional Correspondent] Marine Court this morning on
Wuchow, Sunday.
behalf of 16 of the 17 men who last All immediate danger of a. Can-week were sentenced by Lt.-Com- King said there were now nine tonese invasion has bet of the mander G.F. Hole R.N. to im infantry battalions in China, of moved by the recent defeat of the prisonment without the option of a which six were at Shanghai. Ironsides at Kweihu, which is a fine for boarding, the s.s. "President
Sir H. Page Croft asked whe- small town south-west of Dosing. Pierce" without permission. ther it was proposed to set aside a Here the advance guards of the day for Parliament to thank the Ironsides came in contact with men who had previous convictions At the original hearing two of the troops in China for their exem- the outposts of the Kwangsi sol- were. sentenced to two months' im- plary conduct.
diery, The Cantonese opened Capt. King said that Wednes-fire and were quickly driven back Prisonment without the option of a sentenced to a month's imprison- day's debate would provide an op- to their lines at Kweiht, when fine and the remaining fifteen were portunity.
the main body offered battle to "Send us smokes" was the new the advancing Kwangsi troops ment without the option of a fine. Determined attacks by the Ironsides yesterday reached a head form of "S..S." sent out by the and, after an engagement lasting They consisted of boarding house steamer "Bellerophon," when nearly three days, were driven runners and passenger boat mastera last night but attempts to secure a firm footing failed. The turn-nearing the Mersey from Shang- out of the town, retreating to Tak- and mistresses.
hai with 600 troops.
Tobacco, hing. ing point in the struggle should come to-day,
Political issues are becoming manifest in that the Kwangsi ad-supplies were exhausted and a
Ironsides Defeated. was despatched from -minstration-which-was overthrown last month by the Ironsides is Liverpool and dispensed-cigar-
The Cantonese garrison at this severe trying to take advantage of the situation.
ettes to the eager Tommies lining place, seeing their defeated com-offenders and having regard to the the bulwarks. One impatient
fact that there had been no special sufferer overbalanced and fell on
circumstances such as taking on
counter-attack on the Communists.
GIRL FANATICS RUN AMOK.
The "China Mail" has come into possession of one of the *Red" circulars. All written | in Chinese, it is an exhortation to workers in Hong Kong to stop work to-day to celebrate the "victory of the Labour and Peasants Soldiers in Canton in their revolution."
A chop which is blurred appears at the end and the order for a holi-
day is claimed to emanate from the delegates' council of all-Hong Kong labour,
The writing in-in "foreign" ink, which a Chinese pen, on lined Chinese letter paper. Contained in an envelope it was thrown into workmen's premises through a window.
tors would be in a comparatively isolated position should they have ventured so far without adequate support.
However, yesterday's incidents in the fight point to renewed efforts by the Ironsides to-day which should culminate in a grand assauit to-day or to-night.
tender
a tender rope, being knocked un- conscious. When resuscitated! he immediately requested "fag." Reuter.
NEW G.O.C., CHINA.
Major General Wardrop Is Appointed.
A
London, Yesterday. Major-General J. Duncan has been appointed G.O.C. First Divi- sion and Major-General A. E. Government Superiority, Wardrop succeeds him as G.O.C. Observers are of the opinion the North China Command.- that the superiority still lies with Reuter. the Government although their Shiforce Expenses. →→ forces are at present outnumber- ed
Ilastilities with the Kwangs military faction along the West River and in the East River basin will hinder the recall of Ironside units to defend their capital but it is still thought sufficient troops can be spared to turn the tide Reinforced Ironsides Expected to against a motley rabble of semi-
GRAND ASSAULT.
Win To-night.
Early this morning, the Canton Government forces on Honam, on the south side of the harbour, em- barked in armed launches and small craft lo pave the way for a grand assault in which rein- forcements from up-country were
their arrival.
ated jailbirds.
London, Yesterday. . An Army Supplementary Estimate has been issued for £3,090,000 as a further amount required during the year ending March 31, to meet the cost of the troops in China.
Home Astonishment.
Later.
The House of Commons mem-
HOW MANY REDS?
Railways Held: Risings Up-
Country..
That the Reds number 20,000 to be thrown in immediately on is, in the opinion of the "China At the same time Ministerial The Canton Navy has remained | Mail political correspondent, an circles think the need for troops loyal to the Ironsides throughout. exaggeration, in spite of their in China is as great as ever, in re- ranks being increased daily by ex-gard to which the Communist Several gunboats have taken up tremist workmen.
riots in Canton are a vivid re- positions on the River, command-
A vital advantage which the minder.-Reuter. ing strategic points on the north bank (ie., the city) in order to Red rebels have is that they have cover the landing of loyalists.
stopped rail traffic on the three
General. Pel Chung-hai, one of the "big four of the Kwangsl military faction. He is believed to be in Nanking or Shanghai but his friends in Wuchow think that he is at Swntow.
·
Mr. Lo argued that the imposition of a sentence of imprisonment with- out the option of a fine was too particularly for firat
"Your Eyes Are Safe With Us."
N. LAZARUS
Hong Kong's Only European Optician.
(Established Over Forty Years). Manager: RALPH A, COOPER, N.A.O.A., Registered Optometrist by Canadian Govt. Exam.
(Personal Attention).
COUP BRINGS RELEASE.
RUSSIAN'S FLIGHT FROM CANTON.
·GRAPHIC STORY TOLD.
Let Out of "Cage" By Red Sashed Soldiers.
REFUGEE COUNTS FIFTY DEAD BODIES IN ONE CITY STREET.
Arriving in the Colony on board the s.a. "Taishan" a "White". Russian named Nicholas Grigorievich Bykoff gave himself up to the police as a destitute yesterday, and was this morning produced before Major C. Willson at the Central Magistracy, when he was
committed to the House of Detention.
Bykoff had a very interesting story to tell about his experience in Canton, where he had been imprisoned without any charge being preferred against him for six months.
Suddenly at 4 o'clock on Sunday morning he found himself a free man as the result of the "Red" coup in Canton. The prison where he was confined with other political prisoners was taken charge of by the "Reds," who inmediately released all the pri soners.
FUTILE SEARCH FOR SHAMEEN.
board legal cargo. He thought Bykoff was born in Brest-Litovek, his nationality. When he said. he that the Police were not opposed to Poland, and his parents settled in was a Russian the "Reds" immedi Vladivostok when he was very utely concluded that he was of their the sentence being revised and he asked His Worship to take this into young. He left school in Vladivos- hue, and remarking "As you are a tok in 1909 and studied in the political prisoner, you can go," they consideration...
His Worship produced the Police Marine Deck Officers' School, and set him free with the 34 Chinese letter on the subject and remarked received his Master's certificate in prisoners, that they were not opposed, and 1912. He then entered the service
When he got into the street, Inspector Afris, who was present, of the Russian Volunteer Fleet, with! Bykoff found it deserted except for also indicated that he had no which he stayed until 1914 when he dead bodies.
Ho counted fifty volunteered for', war service objection to a review of the case.
and bodies, mostly in police uniform ly-
His Worship, after further legal joined the 179th Ust-Dviraky Regi-ing in the street. The Chinese pri argument, agreed to reduce the ment and did duty on the Northwest soners immediately they left the
prison ran in all directions.
Frontier.
:
sentence on the fifteen with no previous convictions to six days'
Military Training. hard labour and as they have already In 1915 he was sent to the Irkutsk pared, tha paried, they will be re- Military School for four monthe leased. "The sentences against the training and left with the rank of two with previous convictions Ensign. In 1918 he went to Vladi- ¡remain.
Bykoff concentrated upon getting to the waterfront in the hope of reaching Shameen, which he had heard a lot of as a foreign conces- sion but had never seen, because vostok as a Lieutenant of Ataman he was not five minutes ashore in Captain Fined.
Kolmakoff's troops. In 1920 these Canton when he was thrown in pri- Capt. Ellis Walker, of the 88. troops retreated to Fookdin, and son. Although he discovered after- "China Hua," (China Navigation severing his connection with them, wards that the prison in which he Company) was charged with giving Bykoff went to Harbin and thence was confined was a short distance false Information in his clearance to Vladivostok which he reached in from the waterfront, Bykoff took with regard to the number of pas-1821.
11⁄2 hours to reach it, after run- Bengers carried.
In Vladivostok he joined aning about aimlessly up and down Evidence was given by the Board-"White" Regiment in 1922 and stay-
countless narrow 'streets which seemed to take him nowhere.
was, on the
to Gensang, Koren.
.
bandits, labour bullies and liber-bers are astonished at the amount rades returning and passing them ing Office who went on board as to ed with his regiment until the There was no one In the streets to of the supplementary estimate on their way down the West there being twenty-five passengers "Reda" took control of the town ask directions from and it was just for the Shanghai Defence Force, River, fled also, but stopped at as opposed to the one contained in when he fed which has exceeded any amount Shishing, where they are now the clearance.
Thence he went to Tientsin where luck which eventually brought him previously suggested.
concentrating, awaiting reinforce- The defendant said that he left he obtained work in a baker'a shop. 1 to the river. An interesting debate is expect-ments and orders.":"
the ship to go to the Company's The year 1924 saw him in General ed when the estimate is discussed- The Ironsides coming up the offices where he was told that one Chang Chung-chang's army under
On Waterfront. later in the week, and no doubt east bank of the West River, passenger only was being taken, General Nichnoff.
Once he passed the Shameen, and the subject of the maintenance of fought a small engagement at The Boarding Officer
The following was actually opposite it, but did not the Force will be raised again. Fungchuen, but were defeated ship when defendant returned and tau, and afterwards obtained his concession. Eventually he stumbled year he contracted typhoid in Taing-recognise the place as the foreign and they also have retreated to the compradore stated in reply to discharge from Chang's army and up to the China Navigation Com- their base at Shiching.
defendant's question, that four men proceeded to Shanghai where he did pany's wharf which was empty. Ho Kwangsi Troops Dig In, he observed on the ship were super odd jobs.
decided to wait, and after about ten The Kwangai units are now cargoes to look after the pigs. The
"At Swatcw.
minutes or a quarter of an hour, Baid to have dug themselves in compradore informed the Boarding
He went to Swatow in May, 1927, the 8.8. "Taishan" came alongside. just below Takhing, and are Officer that there was only one pas and immediately he landed he was He went on board and saw the Chief awaiting the arrival of their senger but whilst he was talking to met by a Military picket in green Officer whom he begged to take him comrades from the East and the Boarding Officer, about twenty North River
areas, who are passengers came out from the 2nd uniform and was taken before a to Hong Kong.
General who ordered him to be im This the Chief Officer refused to marching overland to the de- Class quarters.
His Worship commented that it prisoned. The following month he do because Bykoff had no papers, seemed unfair, but under the Or- was put on board a Chinese gun-; but when Bykoff undertook to sur dinances he was obliged to hold the boat and taken to Canton where he render to the police immediately on master of a ship responsible for was landed. Again he was arrest arrival in Hong Kong, the Chief any such wrong declaration and not ed immediately he put foot on shore, Officer agreed to take him on board. Bykoff said that he had same lug- the compradore. His sympathies this time by the police at Canton. were with the master as the com-He was taken to Police Headquar-gage when he landed in Canton, but ters where he was kept in n cell, could not move theas when he was pradore seemed entirely to blame,
The sentence would be $100 fine with some Chinese prisoners with released. He only had time to or in default a month's imprison- out any charge being preferred snatch up a few pieces of clothing against him. He did not see any and dash out, "In case the soldiers ment.
other Russian or European prison should change their minds, or take ers. Whilst he was in prison, heit into their heads to nak ques- saw from time to time from his tiona!" "cage" about 40 Chinese who were political prisoners taken shot.
{
lines running out of Canton. The
Saviours From Kongmoon?
Reds have probably not ventured struggle involving two political About 4 p.m. yesterday, 2,000 any further out than the city factions and a mutual for the Cantonese troops embarked at termini but by making use of the Reds. Kongmoon on a fleet of comman-railwaymen, they have cut off Circumstances point to there deered tow-boats for Canton, means by which the Ironsides having been a good deal of plot- where they are expected this morning. The units belong to several directions.
could converge on the city from ting prior to the Communists' rising. On the face of it, a hand- the 5th Army under General Li
Unconfirmed news is that Comful of the Canton politicians (í.e., Fook-lum of Honam (known also munist risings have occurred at of the Leftist clique) were re- as the "Papersides") and to the Shekki (capital of the Heung- sponsible for treating with the new 2nd division, both of which shan district) in the West River Reds; while the Canton generals joined the Ironsides in the coup delta and at Fatshan, a short dis- preferred a moderate adminis- against the Kwangsi faction. tance west of Canton, where the tration without any red taint. They were only recently despatch-railway station is said to have ed from Canton to take over the heen turned into a Red camp. Kongmoon area from the Kwang- Fatshan is connected to Canton si garrison which had evacuated. by a railway.
In two localities yesterday, the Ironsides secured a footing in Canton city but their position, assailed by snipers from vantage points in narrow streets, was un- tenable.
Under Cover of Navy.
POLITICAL ISSUES.
Diversion as Help for Kwangsi Faction.
CLOUDY AND RAIN!
Weather Forecast Not Promising
"East winds, fresh generally cloudy, some rain," f the official weather forecast until noon to- morrow.
The anticyclone has strength- ened. It is now central over S. Manchuria.
Moderate to fresh monsoon may be expected along the coast of China and over the China Sea.
MR. F. C. BARRY. IN HOSPITAL WITH TYPHOID FEVER.
+
out and
ned to almost half his former self:
Friends in Shanghai,
Russian Master-Mind. Chinese reports mention the Russian a notorioua name of agitator who is alleged to have
He took particular care to take arrived at Canton some days be-
with him a waistcoat in the lining fore the coup. He. is accused of
His frame of mind can be ima- of which was concealed $40, but being the master mind behind the
Mr. F. C. Barry, accountant of gined when some of the guarda kept during his wandering of the streets of this dramatic movements
the Hong Kong and Shanghai on saying "By and by" to him after it must have dropped from the bun- week,
Hotels, Ltd., has been in the Peak each execution, so that he was con- dle, for it was not amongst his other General Teng Yen-ta, who pro-
Hospital since December 4 suffer- stantly living under the dread that things when he took stock of his fessed most violent theories be-
ing from typhoid. At first his con- he would be the next to be shot. property on board the "Taishan." It transpired that about 1,000
Political issues have become fore being expelled from Hankow, fence of their native province.
dition was very serious, but this The only food he had whilst he was His Chinese passport, Bykoff sald," gendarmes, who are very well apparent.
is stated to be bound for his na-
There is a persistent rumour in morning he is reported to have in his "cage," in which there were was taken away from him by the armed and equipped, escaped": There is no evidence that the tive Canton to take charge of the city that General Pei Chung- taken a turn for the better, although altogether about 60 priscuers, was military in Swatow, so that he had from Canton on Sunday, crossing | Communists were inspired, or military operations.
hai has wired from Swatow to the he is still not yet out of dangor. rice and vegetables. It was very nothing to prove his identity, but over to Honam; Thoao men even encouraged by the Kwangsi Rather surprising in the news Provincial Government that if
seldom that he got any meat or salt he has friends in Shanghai who played a conspicuous part in the military faction which to-day is that most if not all of the Hong the Ironsides persist in their ad-
fish. The result was that he thin would help him, and he wished to counter-attack on the Commun-at war with the Ironsides.
Keng steamboats have resumed vance up the river, that he will ists.
But the creation of such a seri-running to Canton.
order his forces in Swatow to of violence, and the provincial
go there. Last night a Paperside detach-ous diversion in the southern The "Tung On," "Kinshan" and march immediately upon Canton troops defeated them.
The Rising.
His parents, he said, were still ment landed under cover of a gun-metropolis is a great help to the others left last night, taking good This is said to have had the effect Bank Re-Opens.
Coming to the "Red" rising In living in Vladivostok, and he had hoat and armed launches and was Kwangsi cause.
care not to have to pass Bocca of holding up the Cantonese
Canton on Sunday, and his unex- not seen them for six years, or last reported to be holding on to Unfortunately for the Kwang-Tigris or Whampoa Forte in dark-advance.
After being closed for several pected deliverance, Bykoff said that heard anything of them. days and having moved the specie at 4 a.m., on Sunday, he was a position near the east bund, Bi generala, they were caught off ness. The "Kinehan" safled this
The Hong Kong s.s. "Yuet On," their balance, unprepared. They morning...
What Really Happened. away, the Bank of Kwangsi is now
A foreigner named Charles J. arriving at Canton yesterday had made up their minds to re-
Several days ago, news came open for business, doing same, awakened by his fellow prisoners, morning, went within the range tire and cannot gather momentum
down the river that the Kweilin however, on a limited scale. Food and heard shooting and cries in the Hiron was this morning: charged Then before. Mr. B. E.. Lindsell at the. of volleys fired from a machine in time to advance again on the This change in front does not garrison had turned over to the prices are being stabilised once street outside the prison. gun on a gunboat at the city but Ironsides, either from Swatow, or signify peace in Canton. It is an: Cantonese and that the Kweiping more, and the whole atmosphere men with red sashes and armlete Central Magistracy with (1) ob- soon steamed out of danger. down the West River.
ticipated that the steamboats will defenders had declared their in-is clarified again. Proclamations broke into the prison. They spoke structing the engine room man at Preliminary Sorties,
By the time the Kwangai units not berth at their wharves (which
on Wuchow 5,000 strong. Later General Ip Teng-yeung, acting toned the prisoners in Bykoff's pany's depot off Bowrington Canal, It was also reported yesterday are ready to move again the are alongside the west bund, dependence and were, marching are being issued in the name of in the Northern dialect and ques- the Hong Kong Tramway Com that the gendarmes had retaken Ironsides may have the situation where the Reds are in control) but information states that this news for General Wong Shiu-hung, as "cage" and thirty-four out of the (2) tampering with the machinery, Police Headquarters. This has in band.
rather will anchor in the Back was false. What actually happen- his representative who has been sixty who claimed that they were and (8) trespassing into the depot. not been confirmed. Police Head Politicians Responsible? Reach, in the view of the foreigned was that at both places ban- invested with the full authority of political prisoners were released. The Magistrata Imposed, a fine of quarters is a fairly long dlatance. At any rate there is the possibi. men-of-war.
dits took advantage of the un- his chief.
Then the Heds" noticed Bykoff in $10 on the "obstruction from the Bund and loyallet can lity of a unique three cornered (C
settled conditions to commit acts HMS Moth" is in port. a corner of the cell and asked him and $5 on the trespas
Big Exodus.
+
charge,