VOL. IV NO. 93
en, te endale at
Per me on Felay of
SOUTH CHINA MORNING TOST, LTIL/
"eflater ena Pubusier
The
Today's Weather Light winds from a southerly quarter. Fair apart from early morning coastal mist,
Noon Obcervallons! Barometric pressure, 1010.2 mbs., 30.01 In. Temperature, 70.9 deg. F.. Dew point, 71 der, F. Relative humidity, 84. Wind direclion, East, Wind force, 12 kits.
Low water; 1 ft, 7 in. at 1.35 a.m. (Saturday). Xligh water: ft. 8 in. at 6.03 p.m.
Hongkong Telegraph.
FRIDAY, APRIL 22, 1949.
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REDS WITHIN THREE MILES OF NANKING
Ship Radios Launch Attack On A
SOS
Mania, Apr. 22-RCA falereepled u ekstrems call trom Klugapore Radio saying that the Tunk- nan, kallig from Wenchow to Foochow, hill a ručk
during for and was in a "very dangerous" slivation. The message said, "Want to kave pantengers from danger."
I added that the ship's original SOS was sent at 0.40 p.m. Thursday. The
position was given as 27.04 N. and 120.56 Fe-United ire!m,
Accused Of Murdering Five Women
Colome, Apr. 21.-A Ger- man waitress accused of murdering five women, ad- mitted in court today that she doped them with nar- cotics and ther, robbed them. "But I only intended to steal, I never worted to murder," Frau Swink, aged 37, Insisted.
to
"only gave my drugs women who looked well and to whom it seemed the drugs would do no harm," she said.
Narrow Front
PUCHENG REPORTED TO HAVE FALLEN
Nanking, Apr. 22.—A Nationalist military source said today that the Communists fought to within three miles of Nanking. He said an attacking force of unascertained strength started to drive on a five-mile front two to three miles north of Nanking. He said that heavy fighting was at present in progress from little northwest. Pucheng. Pukow is directly opposite Nanking and Pucheng is three miles north of Nanking.
An unofficial source said that Pucheng has fallen to the Com- munists but the report was not yet confirmed officially. The loss of Pucheng and Pukow would bare Nanking even to Communist rifle fire. It was believed that the intensifying Communist drive against the bridgeheads defending Nanking was designed primarily to push artillery within easy firing distance of Nanking's two airfields and railway stations, thereby to bottle up the government officials' routes of escapes to Canton.
Railway stations and airfields were said to be already
within
the range of Communist artillery but thus far there was no shelling presum- ably because the Communist artillery was busily engaged in supporting the
infantry.
titis
An eyewliness said the Com- President Li Tsung-Jen ori | LAST DITCH FIGHT munisis
fired ginally announced that he would evening severni Bares from north meet the press on Friday Pucheng to the river bank, morning, but Inter cancelled the Full-dress evacuation of the meeting because of a sudden
scheduled to plan to government was start on Friday but official meeting-United Press. circles predicted that the Com Frau Swinka ia accused of robbing 40 women in many munists would not make an in-
mediate
technique: she
attempt
10
cross
hold an emergency
Nanking. Apr. 21.-It was reliably learned today that Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek has placed all military, political and
economic power in the hands of Acting President Li Tsung-jen to lead a last ditch fight to save China from Com- munism.
capturo
Communist
เพ
Riots In Asmara
Tel-Aviv, Apr.' 21.-Un- confirmed reports reaching here today from Astara, capital of Italy's formuer Red Sea colony of Eritren, wald a number of fallans bad
been killed aud wounded. In racial riots there,
The African population was demanding the evacua- tion of all Europeans and a union with Ethiopia, the reports sald. They added flint 1 curfew had been Imposed on all Europeans except the mliliary.
Neuter's
correspondent
at Asmara reported on April 11 that Brilish troops were patrolling the town after an Italian had been shot by Eritreans. A cur- few was expected.
Earlier, the British ad- ministration in Erfirea hadi outlawed the youth section of the "Eritrea to Ethiopia" Party on the round that it had carried on sub- versive activity likely to
endanger public -Kcuter.
security.
Karens Fly White Flag
RAF Rocket Firing Planes Alerted To Stand By For Yangtse Action
FIFTEEN MEN KILLED ON THE LONDON: TOTAL CASUALTIES: 42 DEAD, 60 WOUNDED
London, Apr. 21-Rocket firing Royal Air Force planes operating against Malayan insurgents have been alerted for possible action against the Chinese Communist forces battering British' war- ships on the Yangtse River.
The disclosure was made after the Admiralty announced that the Communist shore batteries on the Yangtse had forced two British warships to return to Shanghai with damages and casualties after preventing the vessels from reaching the disabled sloop, Amethyst. It was understood that the RAF, in co-operation with the Royal Navy, had prepared an emergency plan to fly Spitfires, Mosquitoes and Beaufighters, all equippel with rockets, from Malaya to the Yangtse River.
Air Ministry officials said that |
It was understood hero that Air Commodore A. D. Davies, from the Amethyst indicated the Lieut-Commander B. M. Skin- was "in full collaboration" with ship has been subjected to in-ner, captain of the Amethyst, British Navy officials in Hong-termittent fire for the past 36 was still aboard the ship king on the Yangise
relatively had been wounded. United The heavily armoured twin-sale from Any urther direct Press.
A
message received
hours, but is now
Beaufighters have hits.
direct
fighting.
ver in addition to strong fire power rockets and have been used the
The Sunderland also in
camc
but
PRESS REACTION London, Apr. 21-The Con- servative Dally Mail today
past for special strating under fire but was not hit, duties against ground artillery... The Navy sald that shortly | termed the Chinese Communist
twin-engined Mosquitoes
The
that an RAF
the shore
the
were по
Chenkingg. 45 miles cast of attacks, from three small islands piele evacuation of the Execu- the Karen National Defence boat pierced underland flying casualties during the last bar.
and fire
rage.
NEAR MISSES
would
"For answer, let us look at Singapore. The echocs from the fall of that "Impregnable' British fortress in 1942 ore still rumbling round the world and its effects are still being felt.
and the single-engined Spitfires after the Sunderland took off attack on British ships in the have also been in Malayan the Amelliyst moved up a small angtse River "naked aggres-
sho was ston." jungles for special strafing jobs. creek near where
aground yesterday and out of AIRCRAFT UNDER FIRE
in a front-pago editorial, the An Admiralty spokesman said line of fire from the Communis!
batteries on the bank of the Mall said:
Those who have Navy has no aircraft car.
been killed are victim of mur- rier in the Far East. The Ad Yangise.
der. Britain must exact retribu- miralty report on the Yangtse
The message from
tion and demand punishment." action said that the 10,000 ton Amethyst said that when the The paper asked: "How in it Klangpuputus INSEIN SURRENDER cruiser, London, and the frigate, Sunderland get beyond range of the Chinese dare to attack our
Black Swan, have been forced
batteries, they warships? Such action POSSIBLE
back to Shanghai to land casual switched their fire to the ship, have been inconceivable, even a'
and
"effect essential Royal Navy officers here said few years ago. A ties Rangoon, Apr. 21.
the message did not elaborate, damage repairs."
The Admiralty announced
there indicating white flag fluttering on top
Communist sheli of a building identified as
Janded near the Organisation Administration Amethyst to render medical as-
The Amethyst's message sug- office at Insein. 10 miles sistance. A doctor aboard
boat
medical carried
gested that if any other dying North of Rangoon, virtually
ying
eboard equipment
the boats were sent to her aid they "A nation which appears to be suspended military opera qu
Ainethyst. The announcement should and in the game creek weak and unwilling to enforce tions for the last 24 hours, said that the Sunderland sue where she was now apparently its rights gets no respect in this —in arriving_pl_the_j anchored, The Inessage_re_world. Power, as we have said. scene even though she was con-arted near misses
un theme and again, is still the thing fred upon during the Sunderland while
that counts." transferring doctor Admiralty .sald
The Conservative Daily Ex- the
medicine to the ship. not evacuating
press, the only RN officers said the fact that
other London usked by thorities are checking whe. Amethyst was
her paper to comment editorially on ull of her wounded to nearby the Amethyst had shifted Chiang Kai-shek to remain.
how ther this signifies a total Chengkang hospital. United anchorage Indicated she was the Yangtse incident
so far, nable
[noted that the Amethyst was Preas.
to manoeuvre,, but CASUALTY TOLL would probably be pinned down carrying supplies to Nanking at a time "when it was known the Shanghal. Apr. 22-Forly-by enlading fire from shore
Communist armies were about The Inseln battle intensified two Royal Navy personnel dead batteries if she attempted ΤΟ
COMBINED ACTION Nonking. Apr. 22.-Combined different North German cities, all i
the river toward Nan- land, sea and air forces were
Meanwhile, the with
the same
here reported last night by the Na- would visit n
king. The night curfew woman living lengthened
one Jour to- tionalist Military News Agency
under the alone, it is alleged, usually on night to permit a citywide to be moving to exterminate Nanking directly the pretext of needing a room,
threat, compled and check subversive the Red forces - which“ curly Communist census
the Yangtse induce her hostess to drink a
elements in face of the Com- yesterday crossed
the government to speed up tho of coffee and depe cup
80 miles south-west of Nanking. plan of evacuating the capital. munist advance. coffee.
three Or even, is further
The Government was ander Heavy ghting was also re- The Agency said that alleged, get the vicllm to eat a
ported at bridgeheads opposito Red armies had opened artillery stood to have ordered the com- noreutic tablet on the assurance
that it contained vitamins.
Control, the Yangise opposite iive, Legislative, Nanking, Nationalist forces were in
Examination and Judicial Yuans "After the victim fell un rushed there to reinforce the Tikiangchen. conscious, I looted the flat and hard-pressed government troops.
Several thousand Communist within three days. The Legisla- succeeded 177 tive Yuan has decided to close have News Agency soldiers The Military
its sessions tomorrow. Li Tsung- that the bridgehead, erossing the River. Five of her alleged victims Shiherlyn, was lost
Nanking last night Ave jen and Premier Ho Ying-chin From by Kovern-
of soldiers will immediately leave after the special train-loods meal troops tolling-Kunehow
It said, were sent in a southward direc- evacuation of the live Yuan Lauyu and Passinehow. present shelling Takat, south the capital where another cross-
53 miles casting is threatened. Two men are on trial with her bank river port
to make peace with the Comsaid that Burma Army au- perimeter The Pukow as alleged accompRees In her if Nanking, to soften the Na- !
munists. but was quiet last night.Reuter-AAP. thefts--Associated Press,
tionalist defetin,
The source said L has agreed to stay.
Karen surrender in Insein or Chiang Kai-shek was said to one sector alone. have instructed that all armed forces and economic resource!!
took off, the tes.ified,
died
The court's verdict is expected Communist artillery was at lion to Tangpu 30 miles from
next week.
EDITORIAL
wns
Yangtse River Incidents
THE shelling of four British warships engaged on peaceful missions in the
the Yangtue, and
heavy casualties the resulting therefrom ranke
Among most deplorable incidents calculated to relations. The full affect international facts are yet to be determined, but there are strong grounds for believing that while, in the case of the Amethyst, the the attack
perhaps nccidentul, shelling of the Consort, London and Black Swan were wllfully deliberate, and because of this the Imperial Government cannot nvold taking a very serious view. The British Ambassador is reporteil already" to have instructed his Cunsul in Tien- tsin to submit a note of protest to Mao Tse-tung in, Pelping, and it in conceivable that, given assurances concerning the future safety of British ships as well as private lives and properly, the unfor- tunate affair could be regarded as closed. But the shelling of two warships; n full 24 hours after the attack on the Amethyst, kas gravely aggravated already deplorable situation. If it was, in fact, Communist guns. which damaged British warships and killed and wounded British sailors (and the Embassy at Nanking appears to be fairly satisfied on this point) then theso three incidents appear to indicate that the Chinese Reds do not intend to respect the ordinary rights of penceful third parties within China, Even acknowledging the ships were moving along the Yongise in Л 2000 where the Communists БУСГО preparing to reopen the civil wor fighting, this cannot be held out na no excuse for the attacks on British ships, the identity of which could hardly be mistaken. And If
one generously conccles that in the
the case of Amethyst the shelling was an accidental
лn
урато
ከሁ
was
the
ceeded -it-was-officially-confirmed.
A reliable source said that Li (oday. Tsunt-jen wanted to quit his office for his failure in his effort
Pro-Government sources
The
the
now
sh
www
and
be put under his control to tend on April 8 after a four-day and 00 wounded--this was the move from her present post-o launch a grand assault meross
that
the Aght against the Commit-
cease fire during vain attempts toll of the two-day Communist tion. Otherwise, they sald, she the river.". nists. It was recalled
artillery attacks On British would have probably attempted it naked: "Was the best a dash clown river to Shanghal method adopted to carry sup- Chiang Kai-shek, though re- to negotiate pouce,
warships on the Yangise. tired, was retaining actuai com.
to Nanking?"United mand of the Army and other power.-United Press.
Karena Subsequent the withdrew to the centre for n possible last stand as govern
Nanking. Apr. 22-Three mpnt pressure Increased, Thousand Communists crossed
The 10.000-ton cruiser Lan- instead of anchoring in don steamed Into port last night greek, with 15 dead and 20 wounded. The destroyer Black Bwan ar- rived together with the London. Ninety talles North of han-She suffered no fatal easttalties which is 40 miles goon, ares were raging in the but five sullors were seriously enst of Nanking this morning. Burmese countryside as Karens according to latest reports set ablaze scores of Burmese reaching the capital-Reuter
ANOTHER CROSSING
the Yangtse four miles east of Chinklang,
STOP PRES
RESCUE PARTY
APRIVES
the railway villages around town of Nyaunglebin.
RECKLESS ATTACKS Omelal reports sald that the Karens since Monday had been hurling themselves recklessly in
practically nonstop attempts to where capture Nynungiebin, land forces were holding them Nanking, Apr. 22-A four-off with ale support. man rescue party made contact
More than 500 Karens are with the Amethyst late yester-
will endeavour day, and
to participating in the battle. evacuate the, wounded from the Their attacks are spearheaded
three cars, sloop and take them to Chin-by armoured klang where reception has been which have been captured by arranged for them by the the, government forces.
to Chinese Navy, according
wounded.
A tabulation of the casualties showed the following: Amethyst, 20 wounded; London, 17 dead, 15 dead and 20 wounded; Black five dead and Swan, Rone wounded: Consort, 10 dead and 15 wounded.
A British naval statement said
that a mass funeral of the fatal casualties will take morrow morning.
place to-
With about 12 large holes ip her hull the cruiser London was today berthed at Holt's Whart across the Whangpoo at Poo- tung The holes in the hull were stuffed with hammocks.
error of judgment, stretch of imagination permits the same explanu tion with regard to the Consort, London and Black Swan. The Amethyst was on a merey mission in which she was entitled
be
and engaged;
subsequently to
the other
went 10 vessels the Acene of the action for the sole purpose of rendering assistance to the stricken ship and to those who were wounded: in on mercy other words, they too were
There missions and of real urgency. кля nothing belligerent about their nctions and, therefore, the unprovoked be them cannot attacks mude upen Justified in any way. In years past these have been would distressing events aumlelent to crente an international to the ultimatums issued furore with offenders. But nations today are a little more level headed, and while the shelling of our warships and the loss of British lives
stir emotions cannot, but horror and indignation, there is
Chinking reports. that the situation believe reason to
Lt.Cdr. cannot be satisfactorily handled through
W. Packard, of wounded mounts steadily. diplomatic channels. But two require-
Chinese doctor remained aboard ments stand out clearly: the Chinese Com
last night assisting the wounded the Karens continue to hammer from shore munista must give solemn assurances that
who were without morphin until at Nyaunglebin, Communists to London replied.
The London was only 300 the South of the town destroyed there will be no repetition of these
their arrival. unwarranted attacks against British Ives Latest reports say that the a railway bridge, halting traffic, yards from the bank when shu
And within
Amethyst was under fire again China, and
property
from the north bank.-Reuter. nual
to the Reda
be prepared guarantee safe conduct for ships using the Yangtse river or other inland water. ways on peaceful missions. These the minimum conditions for seitling the Yangise River Incidents, and if they are not fulfilled, Kritain may find it necessary to review the whole situation whatever action she feels and take necessary to safeguard her nationals end thoir interests in Chinn,
of
no
aro
More than 150
of.
WITHOUT WARNING According to the crew of the
theplies
Press,
IF YOU KNEW about
ROOM AIR CONDITIONING
Your choice would be a
Carrier
ROOM AIR CONDITIONER!
Proven in 118 Countries
Karens have ship she was shelled by five on Countless Ships at Sca The Amethyst's surgeon, so far been killed, while the toil artillery batteries tempted to in thousands of buildings, British military attache and a The reports added that while was only after a second salvo plants, offices and homes.
warning as the
the approach
It
Amethyst.
batteries that the
was struck, Meanwhile, the 48-hour Bur- All the long planned celebra- the tlons in honour of St George's ma Army ultimatum to White Band PVOs and Commu- Day, including a ball and a
dalay expired yesterday.
2 More Amethyst nats seeking to dominate, Man- reception by the British Con
Victims Dia
sul-General, Mr H. W. Urquhart, have been cancelled as a resul Nanking, Apr. 22~~Twenty No reports have been TO of the Amethyst incident, casualties from the Amethystceived on the latest situation In Reuter already evacuated from the the town.
SUCCESSFUL MISSION aloop have reached Chinklang,
Singapore, Apr. 21. The where after medical treatment Sources closest to the govern-
Sunderland flying boat the RAF ment do not believe that they will entrain for Shanghai.
from Hongkong which succeed- Two died en route to Chin-rebels will accept its challenge. klang. Another sight ore in They sald rebels are likely to ed in landing medical supplies of being transferred, attempt to escape from Mandato HMS Amethyst has now re- toy in civilinn disguise.-Asso turned to Shanghal, according
to messages received here. YAMAANANTAIZSARGUESAVTALINDA YENEDERLAmentciated Press.
process Reuter.
it is the Standard of the World.
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