THE CHINA MAIL, DECEMBER 16, 1937.
U.S.S. PANAY SURVIVOR'S STORY OF INCIDENTS Japanese Planes Attacked Again And Again
IMPOSSIBLE TO MISTAKE
SHIP'S NATIONALITY
"IT WAS TERRIFYING
NIGHTMARE"
Shanghai, To-day.
"I can still hear the roar of planes power-diving and letting loose hell with their bombs, and I still see horrible sights I am trying to forget," said Mr. C. C. Vines, of the British-American Tobacco Com- pany, one of the survivors of the Panay outrage.
NAVAL
REPORTS
PERSIST
Paris, To-day.
FORTIFICATION IN. INDO-CHINA DEMANDED
Paris, To-day.
An outspoken demand for erection of s
strong
Press reports state that the military fortifications in
British and United States Govern- ment have enquired as to French willingness to participate in a combined naval demonstration Chinese waters.
Semi-official quarters, however,
Mr. Vines spoke to Reuter in the Country Hos-regard the reports as invention, pital, where Messrs. James Marshall, of Collier's Magazine, and O'Donnell are also patients.
"I can't bear now to think what we went
and say there is no question what- soever of a naval demonstration, which would serve no useful pur- pose. Trans-Ocean..
through. I can hardly remember what happened, ADVANCE OF
except that it was a terrifying nightmare.
"I was on board the Meian (the ly from shock, is confined to sick- oil tanker) when Japanese planes bed on the U.S.S. Augusta. attacked the cluster of ships,! He has described the bombing to which had American flags flying Washington, but is not allowed to everywhere and even painted on see interviewers. Reuter. the decks.
"The Japanese planes roared overhead and then formed up in the air in line for bombing.
+
"I ran inside and dived under
2 table. This broke the force of the shapnel when the bombs| came, and probably saved my life. REPEATED ATTACKS.
"The Japanese planes attacked
seen
U.S.S. OAHU RESUMES TRIP.
Shanghai, To-day.'
U.S. PACIFIC MANOEUVRES DENIED
Washington, To-day.
Rumours which are understood to be current abroad that the date After spending the night below of the Pacific manoeuvres of the Nanking, the U.S.S. Oahu with her United States Fleet has been ad- tragic cargo, and the shell-scarred vanced from next March, are us repeatedly. They must have HMS. Ladybird, led by Japanese
the American flags and minesweepers and convoyed by Ja- denied here. known we were American ships.panese warships, resumed their trip There is no intention at present,
“Marshall, Hodge and I walked to Shanghai at dawn this morning to alter the date. twenty miles and spent Sunday!
The procession has now been The manoeuvres are scheduled to night in a Chinese farmer's house joined by a number of British ships take place between Hawaii and in the town of Taiping. He treated and lighters, which had been bot-Sama, but it is stated that no signi- us royally.
tled up in the Yangtse for more ficance attaches to them, since the "We slept on Monday night in than four months. The vessels are area was selected long before the the quarters of a Japanese officer, expected to arrive here on Friday present Far Eastern crisis arose. who provided a truck in which we afternoon. went to Wahu.
TUESDAY IN WUHU
Among Japanese warships con- voying the procession is the Kasa "We spent Tuesday night in Wasabi, on board which are the five hu General Hospital, but I was newspapermen who remained in afraid all the while that the roar Nanking during the siege-Reuter- ing guns would turn their blazing muzzles our way.
"On Wednesday morning a Ja- panese flyingboat landed at Wuhu,
“I saw it from the hospital, and later we were told they would be l taking us to Shanghai
“My God, I was glad.
“As we proceeded down river we saw puffs of smoke from guns in action. During the whole journey to Shanghai, two machine-guns on the plane were ready to repel pos- sible attack from Chinese planes.""
MARSHALL NEEDED HELP Marshall had to be helped from the plane on arrival in Shanghai Wearing a bathrobe, his arm was in a sling and had a Japanese navy blankeż around his shoulders. He was so hoarse he could hardly talk
Marshall first went to Cathay Hotel and saw his wife, who accom- panied him to hospital, where he was interviewed by Reuter
He said that after the Panay's gun crew had fired to the very last, Lt Anders, who was wounded and unable to talk, took a piece of chalk and wrote on the deck "Take to the boats Send them back and wait close to the shore.”
HODGE IN AUGUSTA Hodge, who is suffering serion
TOKYO FASCIST GOVERNMENT IMMINENT
Tokyo, To-day! Political circles have been thrown into a flurry by a mani- festo which Mitsuru Toyama, Prince Sapetaka Ichijo and Ad- miral Usuke Yamamoto have jointly issued to the nation, urg- ing the vital necessity of imme- diate organisation of a National Party by disbanding existing political parties.
፡
Toyama is patron of the "Black Dragon Society" and is the mystery man of political cir- cles who have been active behind. important developments of the Last half century.
Incidentally, a movement afoot among members both Minseito and Seiyukai, the major political parties, for quidating their parties in favour
a totalitarian
Renter
Renter.
*
ench Indo-China was
during the debate on the Colonial Estim ates in the Chamber of Deputies yesterday.
Deputies asked for informs- tion as to whether n naval and military defence in French Indo- China was strong enough to beat off any possible attack.
One Deputy alleged that Siam had ordered what amounted to general military mobilisation, but M. Marius Moutet, the Colonial Minister, inter rupted and said that nothing in this nature had occurred in Siam, which had merely streng- thened her armaments...
That was a matter, he said, which did not affect friendly Franco- Siamese relations, and he reminded the Deputy of the recently conclud ed treaty between the two countries.
Trans-Ocean.
PEIPING PUPPET BID TO SECURE CUSTOMS
Tokyo, To-day.
The "provisional government of the Republic of China," which was established in Peiping on Tuesday, is reported to be planning to open
LADYBIRD-negotiations shortly with the Com-
VICTIM
M.
Flag-Captain O'Donnel, who was operated on this morning for removal of a shell splinter, said the Japanese opened fire against HMS Ladybird from a range of 4000 yards as she was go- ing to protest against them firing on the British tug "Tsinglah."
They kept on firing until the range was about 1,000 yards,
missioner of the Chinese Maritime Customs in Tientsin, Mr. Meyers.
Object of the negotiations, ac- cording to despatches reaching Tok- yo from Tientsin, will be taking lover of all Customs stations in
North China Amat
Revenue of the Customs in North China is stated to be approximately $44,000,000 a year. Beuter.
when they saw that the Lady- bird was not a Chinese ship Reuter
Those who know... Insist on
EWO
Jardines Tel. 30311.