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12
? Cheengking
It is accordingly suggested that it would be best,
if possible, to reply indirectly, somewhat on the following
lines.
It is entirely incorrect to represent that the
Yangtse gunboats are concentrated at Shanghai and absent
from the up river centres where their presence might be
required for the protection of British lives and property.
At the moment, out of 14 gunboats on the river, only six
are at Shanghai hardly an excessive proportion when
account is taken of the clear need for periodical relief
from the relative isolation of the inland ports, and for
return to a port where facilities exist for refitting, etc.
The other eight gunboats are disposed as follows:- 1 at
Nanking, 1 at Wuhu, 1 at Kiukiang, 2 at Hankow, 1 at Changsha,
1 at Ichang and 1 at Chingkiang.
"
As operations have progressed up the Yangtse,
these gunboats have all been in serious danger of incidental
damage from bombardment or air attack, and those above the
front line of fighting are still subject to this danger.
Particular mention may be made of the LADYBIRD which suffered
damage from bombing at Wuhu in December 1937, and the
SANDPIPER which only recently escaped destruction by the same means at Changsha in October 1938. The work which
they have done and are doing for the protection of British
lives and property under conditions which often combine
both discomfort and danger can be indicated by examples taken from even the last few months. The period immediately
~following preceding the fall of Hankow, the naval landing parties who
helped to preserve order were instrumental in preventing
damage to British property and lives by removing dynamite
charges placed by the retreating forces under various
buildings.
Parties from one of the gunboats
They also played a large part in the protection
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