COPY CABLE RECEIVED FROM BRITISH CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, SHANGHAI
27th September,
1937.
70
REFUGEES POSITI ON HERE VERY SERIOUS.
CHINESE AND FOREIGN INDIVIDUALS
AND ASSOCIATIONS HAVE RAISED FUNDS FOR THE MAINTENANCE AND REMOVAL OF
REFUGEES.
EXERTING UTMOST TO CONTINUE RELIEF WORK BUT RESOURCES
OWING TO FINANCIAL AND MATERIAL LOSSES ARE QUITE INADEQUATE TO COPE
WITH MAGNITUDE OF THE WORK. ABOUT 250,000 ALREADY REMOVED BY TRAIN AND
BOAT: 100,000 COMPLETELY DESTITUTE ARE MAINTAINED IN CAMPS: ANOTHER
100,000, PRACTICALLY DESTITUTE, BEING ASSISTED. IN TWO OR THREE
MONTH'S TIME, WITH THE APPROACH OF WINTER, ESTIMATE 500,000 DESTITUTE.
FURTHER REMOVAL VERY DIFFICULT. THE RESIDUE OF REFUGEES, FROM WRECKED
INDUSTRIAL DISTRICTS MOSTLY HONGKEW, YANGTZEPOO, CHAPEI,
PERMANENTLY RESIDENT HERE. COMING WINTER GREATLY AGGRAVATES POSITION
NECESSITATING HOUSING LARGE INCREASING NUMBER OF FOREIGN
POPULATION DESTITUTE, OR RAPIDLY APPROACHING DESTITUTION, OWING TO
3XHAUSTED LIMITED RESOURCES BECAUSE THEY ARE UNEMPLOYED THROUGH THE
STOPPAGE OF TRADE AND INDUSTRIES. POSITION OF OTHER CENTRES IS
SIMILAR TO THAT HERE BRITISCOM MARSHALL.
*
RECEIVED FROM BRITISCOM 30.9.37.
TIENTSIN REPORTS WIDESPREAD DISTRESS WHICH APPROACHING WINTER
WILL AGGRAVATE ARE IVIMMEDIATE NEED FUNDS. BRITISCOM.
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