1938-04-14 — Page 11

CHINESE

PRESSURE

AT TSAOCHWANG

Japanese Reinforcements Fail To Turn Battle

Refugees Pouring BRITISH SHIP GUERILLA

Into Shanghai SEES JAPANESE ACTIVITIES

Hankow, To-day.

The battle for Tsaochwang continued resterday PLANE CRASH

with undiminished violence, and with no sign of a definite turn in either direction being evident. Although the Japanese have received large re- inforcements they have not been able to make ány headway.

The Chinese operations are being directed by Gen. Li Chung-jen, Gen. Pai Chung-hsi and Gen- Ching Hsien.

IN SHANTUNG

Peiping, To-day.

With machine-guns. trained ready for immediate action, two Japan- A Japanese communique claims owned vessel, "Ping Wo" yester-the larger towns in Shantung." ese planes flew over the British- that "complete order prevails in all

day afternoon near Chek Wan while the ship was on her voyage

from Canton to Hong Kong.

According to the crew of the ship which arrived in the harbour yesterday evening, as the Ping Evacuation of their farms by Wo was approaching Chek Wan, these peasants is held to indicate a Japanese destroyer, belonging that Chinese irregulars are still to the 23rd Flotilla, was active in the near vicinity of cruising along the coast. Shanghai. Trans-Ocean.

While the Japanese are making, several days past from the sur- feverish attempts to repair the rounding country. Tientsin-Pukow Railway line be- tween Tsinanfu and Taianfu, the Chinese have again destroyed the stretch between Taianfu and Yenchow. Trans-Ocean.

JAPANESE COMMENT

Shanghai, To-day. No answer was made by the Japanese spokesman to-day when pressmen made enquiries about the fighting on the Tientsin- Pukow Railway.

The spokesman said he was un- able to give any information as "our actions on that front have not yet terminated.” Ocean.

Trans-

SHANGHAI GUERILLAS

Shanghai, To-day. The Japanese spokesman yes- terday claimed that 3,000 Chin- cse irregulars who, armed with rifles and pistols, had been har- assing the Japanese constantly in the neighbourhood of this city, had now been "wiped out."

The Chinese, he said, had been carrying out their activities prin- cipally in the district between Chwansha and Chowpuchen.

STREAMS OF REFUGEES In contradiction to the spokes- man's claim, however, is the fact that a stream of refugees has been pouring into Shanghai for

ADVANCE ON YIHSIFN Hankow, To-day.

The Chinese vanguards on the Tientsin-Pukow Railway front yesterday morning reach- ed a point only four kilometres west of Yinsien.

About 2,000 Japanese troops at Kuolichi, north of Yibsien, have moved in a north-east direction to Hsianchen to sup- port the Japanese forces in that area, and at present are engaged by the Chinese in the vicinity of Shuikuo.

Meanwhile, a message "from Hsuchow states that Shuang- shan was occupied by the Chi- nese encircling Yihsien, and severe fighting is progressing.

The message adds that Chi- nese columns from Tenghsien have taken Tsoshan and Chit- sun, north of Tsaochwang, forcing the Japanese to retreat to the north-east.

Information reaching Han- kow, allegedly from Japanese sources, states that General Isogai was killed or wounded in action.----Reuter.

Big "Sabotage" Fire In Japanese Supply Depot In Hongkew

Shanghai, To-day.

A huge and mysterious blaze broke out shortly after 4 o'clock yesterday afternoon in an open yard containing horse fodder next to the muni- tions wharf on the Osaka Shosen Kaisha wharf, the most important point of import for Japanese war supplies into Shanghai. The fire, origin of which has not yet been ascertain- ed, spread over a distance of 400 square feet, destroying large quantities of straw and char- coal.

The flames were only got under control after five hours of strenuous fighting by the Chinese and Settlement firemen to prevent it reaching the adjoining magazine.

Foreign sources state they swarming with Chinese prisoners heard several shots previous to who were used in unloading sup-

plies. the outbreak, but this is not con- firmed.

During the day the wharf was lowed in-

Last might the area was block- ed off and no foreigners were al-

Reuter

Especially mentioned are Tsi- manfu, Chefoo and Weihaiwei.

The communique, however, ad- mits that Chinese irregulars are active, and says that a number of Japanese regiments have been detailed to "wipe out these pests.”

Messages from Anhwei also re- port a renewal of Chinese guerilla seen activity.

A few minutes later two planes soared · over the Ping Wo with their machine guns trained on the vessel.

འ་

SHAOPENGPU ATTACK

Thus the town of Shaopengpu, on the Tientsin-Pukow Railway, was attacked by a force of some No attempt to signal the vessel | 500 irregulars yesterday afternoon. to stop was made.

The raiders were finally driven off but not until the Japanese had suffered heavily.

PLANE CRASHES

A little later one of the machines in making a turn suddenly power- Yesterday morning another de- dived and crashed into the ocean.tachment of irregulars attacked A motor-launch from the Japan Japanese outposts at Shangyao. ese destroyer was hastily despatch The Japanese soldiers, who were ed to the spot and managed to still asleep when the

alarm was rescu one pilot, who was taken given, only repelled the attackers abcard the gun-boat. The other after several hours fighting. aeroplane disappeared

Trans-Ocean.

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