THE CHINA MAIL, NOVEMBER 4, 1937.
CHINESE HIT BACK
Force Withdrawal From Important Strategic Point
JAPANESE HELD IN CHECK NANTAO PLAN
ON SOOCHOW CREEK
DEFENDERS PREVENT
BRIDGE-BUILDING
ATTEMPTS
Shanghai, To-day.
Japanese forces which gained a foothold on the south bank of Soochow Creek on Sunday are now trying desperately to push a wedge into the Chinese lines but the Chinese claim to be holding them in check.
·MILITARY
CLAUSE DENIAL
Berlin, To-day. - Reports abroad that the Italo- German-Japanese anti-Comintern Pact will contain a military clanse directed against Russian interven- tion in the Far East, are denied in competent quarters here.
It is stated that the Pact will contain no military clauses-Reu- ter.
Most liberal Chinese estimates place the OVERLAND ROUTE strength of these units at 3,000, but the Japanese claim that they now number between 8,000 and PAST YANGTSZE
RIVER BOOM
9,000.
The Chinese vigorously deny that their troops are "thinning out" or withdrawing, as has been widely rumoured in the past few days.
It appears, owing to the deadly effectiveness of Chinese machine-gun fire from the flanks, that the Japanese have been unable to build a pontoon bridge across the Soochow Creek strong enough to bear tanks and other mechanised units essential for any effective drive.
Japanese forces south of Soochow Creek are assisted only by the field- guns on the north bank, with which they are busily engaged in shelling the Chinese positions and lines of communication.
The Chinese claim to have frustrated the Japanese at- tempts to supplement their forces south of the Creek by further crossings at other points.
HELD UP BY BOUNDARY DIFFICULTY
Shanghai, To-day. It is understood that an agree ment has been reached in prin- ciple for establishment of a re- fugee quarter in Nantao that will be respected as such by both warring parties.
Negotiations are now pro- gressing to iron out several de-. talls.
The international refugee.com- mittee, which submitted proposals to both the Chinese and Japanese au- thorities, is of the opinion that if this particular area is removed from the danger of bombing and shelling, it will solve the problem Valuable native products for of what to do with homeless war export, have arrived in Shanghai victims
in Nantao, the Inter- Frenca
Shanghai, To-day.
from Hankow by the Butterfield national Settlement and the
Concession. and Swire steamer "Wuhu."
This is the first shipment sent One of the chief difficulties at- from up-river to Shanghai by tending the negotiations is dis- water since establishment of the agreement over the proposed boun- boom at Kiangyin by the Chinese daries of the area. Benter.
military authorities.
༣
The cargo left Hankow on Octo The forthcoming wedding of Mr. ber 19 and, after being carried James Richard Godfrey Barter, en- Chief result of the attack was the re-capture of Tsuyuan vil past the boom via the inland route gineer, of Shanghai, and Miss Han- lage, loss of which is a serious which was recently organised, itnah Margaret McCallum, of Lon- strategic disadvantage to the Ja- was transhipped from the Tung-don, has been announced to
chow to the "Wuhu”-Reuter place in Hong Kong soon. panese.
*
Foreign military observers state
Paris, To-day. The King and Queen of Bulgaria that though the Chinese may with-
The leader of the nationalist party were the guests of the King and draw to further lines of defence, their withdrawal will be a strate in Morocco has been exiled, accord- Queen at luncheon at Buckingham gic nature and will in no sense being to press reports Trans-Ocean. Palace yesterday-British Wireless. a retreat, as they seem at present well capable of holding the
Meanwhile, a Japanese communi-panese attack. que claims that the military situa- tion is "developing favourably for the Japanese army."-Reuter.
NANHSIANG BATTLE
Shanghai, To-day.
WISE MOVE
Ja-
Withdrawal to more highly pre- pared lines of defence, in which pill boxes and concrete emplace ments abound, will practically eli- minate the losses by shell fire at present being experienced by the Chinese infantry, who are fighting While the small body of Japanese in positions hurriedly prepared and troops south of Soochow Creek are not adequately provided with pro- maintaining a precarious foothold tection from bombardment or bom- in the face of repeated Chinese as bing-Trans-Ocean. saults, the Japanese wing is launch- ing attack after attack south-west of Nanziang.
KWANGEU FIGHTING
Shanghai, 9.30 am. To-day.
The Chinese, according foreign observers, are taking as
In spite of their preoccupation large a toll of the advancing Ja- panese infantry as they did in the with the dangerous situation which bloody battles preceding their with-has developed in the Soochow Creek drawal from Chapel, and there area, where desperate efforts to sources of the Japanese medical broaden the front of their crossing corps are being strained to the ut-have resulted only in severe casual- most
MORALE HIGH
ties, the Japanese continue to deal sledge hammer blows at Nanhsiang and Kwangfu.
It is revealed, that their claim Chinese quarters admit that the defenders have lost heavily, but yesterday afternoon to entry into the morale of the troops is high Nanhsiang was distinctly premature, and there seems no doubt that the though apparently one of the rushes Japanese attacks are achieving of detachments of the Asama Bri- gade gained the south gate momen- little
The Chinese yesterday launch-tar da counter-attack, which, as if was not heralded by the usual ar-jat least
took the Janazeseja broad
Blattack by hed on
18
wn Correspondent.
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