ATTEMPT TO DESTROY PEARL RIVER BRIDGE ONLY PARTIALLY SUCCESSFUL
Canton, To-day.
It is now learned that the attempted destruction of the Pearl River Bridge was unsuccessful, only one span being damaged.
The buildings déstroyed yesterday were mainly Government or military institutions, including the model Provincial Prison, from which the 1,000 inmates were first liberated.
TOWNS SOUTH OF HANKOW BOMBED NEARLY TO EXTINCTION
Changsha, To-day.
Most of the important towns on the highway to the south of Han- kow
in a terrible state of wreckage as a result of recent Japanese aerial bombardments..
are
Reuter's correspondent motored yesterday from Hankow along this highway to Changsha, making the trip in twelve hours.
Japanese godowns are intact, and attempts to set them on fire proved unsuccessful.
the The buildings and plant of old waterworks at Salchuen were burned to the ground, but the new! waterworks, at present in course of construction by the British firm of Malcolm and Co., are undamaged.
About 2,000 homeless and dazed refugees are concentrated in the area adjoining Shameen, squatting and lying in the streets, huddled together with their small belong- ings alongside them.
ÚNFINISHED MEAL
While some houses and shops were shut up, some are just as the occupants left them, with unfinished meals on the tables, unmade beds in the bedrooms, and uncompleted jobs in tradesmen's workshops.
an-
Here and there is a civilian Only excitement was the appear-corpse, victim probably of a super- ance of a lone Japanese observa- eager militiaman who in his tion plane, which circled twice xiety to persuade the populace to
evacuate, above the car near Hoshenchiao.
probably accidentally The town of Tsungyang, situated pulled the trigger of his unaccus- to the south of Sienning, has been tomed rifle. completely demolished by Japanese aerial bombardments, and there is not one building standing.
NOT A LIVING BEING Both Tungshan and Pingchiang, towns in the vicinity of Sienning, have also been heavily bombed.
When Reuter's correspondent walked through once busy streets in the three towns there was not a living being to be seen anywhere,
All those fortunate enough to have escaped from the bombing with their lives, hurriedly left. Reuter.
SHOCKING SCENES
wander-
The city's beggars are ing uncared for and unwanted, and present a pathetic sight, as do the unfortunate wounded from the ter- rible bombings last Spring, who have been necessarily turned out wholesale from Chinese hospitals, and now lie or crawl about the streets seeking food and water, nei- ther of which can be procured.
Reuter.
DISMAL STORY BELATED REPORT
OF SURRENDER
OF CANTON
(Continued from Page 1) Foreign Concession where all news- paper correspondents were gather- ed. that the Chinese military had evacuated, leaving a mere handful of troops to harrass the Japanese entry.
The British and French author- ities in Shameen bugied themselves with clearing Shameen streets of civilians and reinforcing the naval landing parties.
Eye-witnesses from outlying dis- tricts passing by the gates of Shn
Informed eager watchers that twenty tanks, fying Japanese had already entered Tung where a few bodies of belát- Chinese defenders were strewn the streets,
DEATHLY QUIET
Hankow, To-day,
.
A belated report from Canton states that heavy casualties were inflicted by Chinese troops on a unit of Japanese troops crossing the. Tseng River in the suburbs. of Tsengshing on Thursday.-Central News.
Canton was like a city stricken with pestilence, deserted and death- ly quiet.
For the first time in history, the Cantonese had abandoned their City of Rams.
Occasional distant booming ex- Iplosions indicated that the Chinese troops were blowing up bridges and buildings in their retrent, while the glare of three large con- flagratione lit the skies.-.
SHAKEE LITTER"
across thežuhakée viewed, from Bha ittered with
belongings
some shop
With the coming of nightfall, and are oven, estifying. the eve of the Japanese occupation, departure of the owner
•
THE CHINA MAIL, OCTOBER 22, 1988.
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"If
Chungking, To-day. Japan offers peace terms which are not such to hamper the existence of the Chinese nation, we may ac- cept them as a basis for dis- cussion, but otherwise there is no room for mediation."
This statement was made by Mr. Wang Ching-wei, De puty Chairman of the Kuo- mintang C.E.C., in an exclu- sive. interview with. Reuter yesterday.
He added: "A!I depends on We were the terms offered. forced to resort to arms. We did not instigate the present hostilities and we are willing to have peace, but only on terms that do not menace our independence,
"As far as China is concern- ed we have never closed the mediation. door to
At the Brussels Conference we did not refuse to accept mediation. Again last year when the Ger- its man Government offered good services we did not re- fuse, and recently when the League discussed application of Article XVII of the Coven- ant, we expressed our readi, ness to end the struggle." Reuter.
It was reported in the Co- lony this morning that a num- ber of Japanese ships have been observed passing into the Pearl River Delta and it is assumed that an attempt will be made to break through the Bocca Tigris boom.
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The Japanese Consulate- General issued, the following communique this morning con- cerning the fall of Canton:
A flying detachment of Ja- panese forces pressed to a point 200 metres east of the city of Canton yesterday early after- noon. Other troops are follow- ing the detachment.
The Japanese tank corps : dashed into Canton at about opera- 3.30 p.m. Mopping up tions are now progressing in the city.
Governor Wu Teh-chen and other leaders of Kwangtung deserted the city before it fell to the Japanese. Roads in the north-west of the city are con- gested with motor cars.
Japanese naval air forces carried out reconnaisance and attacked in co-operation with the army forces, engaging the Chinese so closely that they their had no time to gather forces. The towns of Yongyun and Tsungfa are ablaze due to the bombing.
The Japanese Government is ready to give a favourable con- sideration, under a certain con- ditions, to the proposal of the Committee
and of British American residents in Canton, submitted to the Japanese Con- sul General in Hong Kong, through the good offices of the Consul General of Britain - and Consul General cf America in | Ganton, that the Lingnam Uni- versity, the Trinity School, the Hockett Memorial Hospital and the Canton Hospital will be re- garded as the refugee zone for women and children.
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