1938-06-29 — Page 7

THE CHINA MAIL, JUNE 29, 1988

Pare

WILD RUMOURS ABOUT MATANG Still Held By Chinese: One Fort Captured

MR. SANDYS':

REFUSAL TO

DIVULGE NAME OF INFORMANT

London, To-day. ·

The refusal of the Conservative |

JAPANESE SUFFER UNDER REPEATED AIR ATTACKS

Hankow, To-day.

After twenty-four hours of the wildest rumours concerning the fate of Matang, Reuter learns from authoritative Chinese sources that Ma tang is still in Chinese hands.

is admitted, however, that the Japanese have cap-

SOVIET NON STOP FLIGHT

Moscow, To-day.

The two Soviet airmen, Kok-. kinaki and Briandinsky completed their -4,375 miles non-stop flight between Moscow and Vladivos tok in 24 hours Router.

NO SIGN OF HEAT

tured one of the several forts guarding the WAVE BREAK

-Yangtsze boom there.

:

Chinese forces were ordered to Chian was raided by nine Japan- a general offensive ese planes at 1.15 p.m. and Hukow undertake yesterday morning in a deter- by six planes at 3 p.m. Bombs mined attempt to recapture the were dropped at both places. The

fort. Reuter.

member. Mr. Duncan Sandys to It reveal the name of the person or persons. from whom he received inside information regarding cer- tain jealously guarded secrets of the British air defence is still one of the chief topics discussed by the press and the evening papers report FIGHTING GOES ON further developments in the affair.

Kiukiang, To-day. The grim land and air battle According to the "Evening Standard" an enquiry ordered by for the possession of Matang continues with undiminished the Secretary of War, Mr. Hore Belisha has definitely establish- severity.

During a spectacular dogfight ed the identity of the person who

over Siangkow above Matang, supplied Mr. Sandys with the

Chinese pursuit planes shot down highly secret information on which the Conservative member two, Japanese planes yesterday. based his criticism of the British Eight Japanese warships concen

trated there were bombed by air defence system.

Chinese aircraft. One of the According to the "Evening, Stan-

vessels was disabled. dard" only five persons had access to the highly secret documents squadron of Chinese planes whose contents were revealed to some 10 Japancse machines also took Mr. Sandys so that the authorities place over the Yangtze River conducting the enquiry found it a Tungliu, about 40 kilometres south relatively easy task to establish the identity of the person responsible. for the leakage of information.

A chance encounter between

of Anking.

A

and

at

TROOPS TRAPPED After the recapture of Hsiang- Mr. Sandys' informant was al-shan, strategic hill in the neigh- leged to be an officer of high rank,bourhood of Matang, between 2,000| who, so it is said, will be tried by and 3,000 Japanese troops have court martial for the betrayal of mill- been trapped between Hsiangshan tary secrets during the next few and Siangkow. Heavy casualties days.

were suffered by the Japanese yes- The affair was discussed by the terday when a concerted attack was Cabinet on Tuesday and in the launched by Chinese land and air afternoon, Mr. Chamberlain an-[forces.

extent of damage has not yet been ing between ascertained-Central News

ARMED CAMP NORTH OF YELLOW RIVER

Hankow, To-day. The Japanese threat to cross the Yellow River in northeast- ern Honan, and to advance westward to Chengchow, is the latest development in Honan, according to Chinese military dispatches.

The area north of the Yellow River is said to resemble an armed camp with the Japanese pouring in to Ponal, Sinyang and the western terminus of the Taoching Railway,

It is claimed that the Chinese on Monday recaptured Tsing- yuan, on the north-bank of the

No sign of a break in the hot sultry weather which has kept the maximum day temperature hover- 89 degrees and 98 degrees in the shade for more than a week, was discernible to-day.

Yesterday a maximum of 92 degrees was registered, and at 10 ̊ a.m. to-day, the thermometer al- ready showed 88 degrees of heat. Humidity remains

around 78 per

cent.

The Royal Observatory reports that pressure continues highest over the Pacific to the North-east of Japan. The depression is sta- tionary over Tongking and the de- pression of the Loochoos is situat- ed about 350 miles E.NE. of Naha, moving N.N.E.; the latter has probably reached typhoon intensity. Forecast: S. and S.W. winds, moderate; fair generally.

Yellow River opposite Loyang, WIDOW IN TROUBLE

and with Chinese mobile units attacked and captured the Liu- ho railway station, to the west of Hsuchowfu on Sunday night, withdrawing upon the arrival of Japanese reinforcements.

-Reuter.

JAPANESE RETREAT

Peiping, To-day

The last of the Japanese troops

Appearing before Mr. W. J. Lockhart Smith at the Central Magistracy this morning, a 26- year-old widow, Tsai Mui, was charged with possession of raw and prepared opium at No. 1, Hing Lung-Street, 2nd floor. A-fine-of- $560 or three months' hard labour first charge

nounced in the House of Commons With their retreat cut the Japan-marooned by Yellow River floods was imposed on the that A Committee composed of ese withdrew to the river brink have evacuated toward Kaifeng, and $900 or another three months' ten Members of Parliament would where they were subjected to fur-Reuter.

be appointed for the enquiry into ther bombing by Chinese planes. the affair.

Fierce fighting is also raging at

•

The Committee which will have Hsuangshan and Siangkow-Cen- full judicial powers will probably tral News. meet in camera.

The motion tabled by Mr. Sandys in the House of Commons which demands that the question be settled

KIANGSI TOWNS SEVERELY

BOMBED

Nanchang, To-day.

A large fleet of Japanese planes as to how far Members of Parlia- subjected · Nanchang, Chian · and ment are bound to consider the in-Hukow to a severe attack yester- terests of national defence in their day, raining no fewer than 200 Parliamentary interpelations will be bombs. the subject of debate in the Commons to-morrow. Trans-Ocean.

QUESTION OF PRIVILEGE

Shortly after noon, eighteen Ja- panese aircraft appeared over Nan- chang. Chinese pursuits took to London, To-day. the air. The raiders emptied their There were further developments bomb racks on the eastern suburbs yesterday in connection with the and hurriedly departed. Over 100 question on anti-aircraft defences bombs were dumped. which the Conservative Member, About 10 minutes later, another Mr. Duncan Sandys proposed to put aquadron rained more bombs in the to the War Secretary and which re-eastern suburbs, whilst 12 other sulted in an incident with the enemy machines were intercepted! Attorney General which was raised by Chinese pursuits and turned as a question of privilege in the back without reaching Nanchang. Commons.

The Prime Minister announced a enquiry to be assembled imme Select Committee to inquire into the diately to inquire into the circum- matter with the terms of reference stances in which the disclosure of proposed by Mr. Sandys himself. highly secret information relating Mr. Chamberlain also said the to anti-aircraft defences came to War Secretary was extremely an- be made. xious to make a statement at the earliest possible moment...

It will be recalled that the At- Mr. torney General informed. ARMY INQUIRY

Sandys that the information con- During the day, the War tained in his draft question must announced that the General Officer have been disclosed by some-one Commanding-in-Chief, Eastern Com who, in doing so, had broken the British mand, had been instructed by the Official Secrets Acts. Army Council to cause a court of Wireless.

66

on the second charge.

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