1937-12-24 — Page 7

THE CHINA MAIL, DECEMBER 24, 1937.

Page

MENACING THRUST AGAINST HANGCHOW FROM CHEKIANG Japanese Exploiting Favourite Flanking Attack

COLUMNS NOW AT POINTS WITHIN 15 KILOMETRES OF TOWN

Shanghai, To-day.

Adopting again their favourite and highly suc cessful outflanking strategy, the Japanese forces attacking Hangchow are developing a menacing. thrust against the famous city from the direction of the Chekiang-Anhwei border.

Moving swiftly from their base at Kwangteh

LORD MAYOR'S CHINA FUND

London, To-day.

The Lord Mayor's China Rehef Fund now totals £79,300.

The Relief Fund in Manches- ter has, in addition, sent its first contribution-of £500, and a fur- ther 500 is expected early in the New Year-Renter

and Szean, a Japanese column is reported to have FOUR ARABS

reached a point 20 miles north-west of their ob- jective.

After capturing Lichi, a small

town on the Szean-Yuhang high- WILL LEAGUE

way, 15 kilometres west of Hangchow, the Japanese troops are building strong defence works around the town in pre- paration for using it as a base of Future operations.

The Japanese forces are be lieved to be planning to strike next at Huanghu, 33 kilo- metres from Yuhang.

From Huanghu the attackers are likely to drive on Yuhang.

YUHANG THE KEY

LOSE ITS HOME

AT GENEVA ?

SENTENCED TO DEATH

Jerusalem, To-day.

Four Arabs were sentenced to death at Jaffa Assizes yesterday for the murder of another Arab

Paris, To-day. during a highway robbery near atement in which the Presi-Ramleh on July 26.

dent of the Swiss Confederation, Eleven Arabs are estimated to Guiseppe Motta, defined Switzer-have been killed when police and land's attitude towards the League troops engaged a large Arab party |

CHINA FLEET REINFORCEMENT SHELVED

London To-day.

No decision has been taken con- cerning the eventual

the British

the Far East plomatic corres

espatch of

fleet to

to the di-

of the

Daily Express who aims that the Cabinet after sitting for five hours yesterday agreed to postpone discussion of the question

that

The correspondent states the Cabinet is reluctant to take such a drastic measure owing to the situation in Europe and espe- cially in the Mediteranean al- though the Foreign Secretary, Mr. Eden, himself favours the imme- diate despatch of a fleet to China.

The Daily Telegraph also at- acnes great importance to yester- day's Cabinet meeting but the pa per denies rumours of considerable

gencies of opinion within the Cabinet connection with the Far

question Tran

of Nations, has attracted consider- near Arraba, west of Tiberius, XMAS

XMAS SPENDING IN

The engagement followed

BRITAIN

London, To-day.

The Christmes demand has as ex- pected, created a new record for note circulation and carried the imposed total above the $500,000,000 mark. Nether- The bank return shows an increase arrivals in active circulation of £7,361,211, of the total being 509,315,646-Bri-

tish Wireless.

Capture of the latter would virtuable attention here since it is fear-yesterday. ally seal the fate of Hangchow, as ed that a change of the Swiss atti- the town controls one of the only two tude towards the League of Na-pincer-like movement carried out highways on which Chinese soldiers tions may under certain circum-over several days by police and can transport supplies and rein- stances necessitate the removal of Trans-Jordan frontiersmen forcements.

the Headquarters of the League operating with troops and aircraft. The Chinese believe that this new from Geneva to some other place. -Beuter. Japanese move is by far the most "Echo de Paris" regards Motta's serious threat against Hangchow, remarks as a hint that Switzerland Quarantine restrictions pointing out that the outflanking no longer is willing to grant domi-by the Government of the movement from the Chekiang-cile to the League.

lands East Indies against Anhwei border, with frontal attacks "Populaire" on the other hand, from Hong Kong on account along the Shanghai-Hangchow Rail-asks Switzerland to gather courage cholera have been removed. way,

the Hangchow-Huchow high-for quitting the League if the doc- way and

the Shanghai-Hangchowtrines of that body are unsatisfac- highway, is increasing the difficulty tory to her. In the event that Swit of defending the lakeside city. zerland resigns her League mem- bership, the loser would not be the RUSHING DEFENCE

League of Nations but the Swiss To counteract the Japanese out- Federal Council and the city of fanking threat, Chinese mobile units Geneva which would suffer serious are reported to have been sent to material losses by being deprived conduct extensive operations in the of revenue resulting from the fact vicinity of Kwangteh and Szean.

that the League Headquarters is established in Geneva.

At the same time, the main body of Chinese troops are also rushing preparations along the Szean-Hang- chow highway to stem advance of the Japanese forces along the road to Yuhang-Reuter.

RAPID PROGRESS

Shanghai, To-day.

Hangchow is now definitely the

major objective of Japanese troops

THEATRE FIRE IN BUCHAREST

Bucharest, To-day.

in China, and they appear to be Fire broke out yesterday at 9 p.m. making rapid progress in the attack during a crowded first-night per- on the city.

formance at one of the biggest

The Japanese claim to have cap-Bucharest music balls, Vox" tured Fanpangiao and Kaochakian Panic-stricken spectators rushed! from 20 to 40 miles away.-Trans- to the doors but fortunately only a Ocean.

few persons suffered minor injuries.

Trans-Ocean. ⠀

TUNIS TRIAL

Tunis,

The State Attorney

proceedings against Habid Pour-

quipa, leader of the

Pachy

PLANES FOR

U.S. NAVY

New York Tod

Pourquipa is accused of "impair The Glenn Martin Co. has receiv ing the rights of France in Tunis, ed a contract from the Navy De- instigation to racial hatred and partment for construction of 21

Trans aeroplanes at a cost of $5,300,000-

spreading false news.

Ocean.

Beuter.

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