1938-07-14 — Page 11

THE CHINA MAIL, JULY 14, 1938.

SHATTERING BOMBING

ATTACK

ON

CANTON

Bombs Drop In Congested Refugee District

HEAVY CASUALTY

LIST FEARED INEVITABLD

(From Our Staff Representative)

Canton, To-day.

Canton early this morning experienced a shatter- ing awakening, between 35 and 40 planes launching a simultaneous attack shortly after 7 a.m. and dropping more than fifty bombs in a brief period.

bris in the Honam Island scene,

of devastation, while no figures CURRENCY

have come from the northern sub- urb. It will be surprising if the

toll does not exceed a thousand COLLAPSE IN

when the final official count is available. Our Own Corres- pondent.

BLOODY SCENES

Canton, To-day. The bloody scenes of last month were re-enacted at the Pearl River bridge and vici- nity where the Reuter's cor- respondent, hurrying to the scene, found an indescrib- able mess of human blood, entrails, limbs and other- wise shattered torsos, mingling with scattered fruits and vegetables and

over the roadway and side- walks..

Although, for the moment, no accurate estimate is other market produce all

possible, it is feared that the death-roll will be terribly high. The main objectives on one large group of planes were the Pearl River Bridge and the old power station.

Hereabouts, a huge bomb had landed directly amongst a num- ber of vegetable peddlers and market-gardners, ・ who were busily unloading the up-coun- try produce from boats at the river-side. An eye-witness

Neither of these objectives was hit, but a shower of bombs fell across the river in densely crowded Honam Island, where thousands of refugees pointed out to Reuter ∙a pet have added tremendously to the normal con- gestion.

Scores of houses were destroyed The raiders are so numerous though and it is feared that hundreds that at the present it is impossible were caught like rats in a trap, to ascertain the numbers, -Reuter. and now lie buried under heaps

of debris.

Several bombs dropped close to the Pearl River Bridge, which had been raised, but no hit was scored, and the only effect was to cause the death of many civilians in the vicinity.

30 BOMBS.

Canton, To-day. Within 15 minutes observers counted 30 bombs being dropped near the Pearl: River Bridge and Old Power Station.-Reuter.

Canton, To-day, 11 a.m.. Casualties in to-day's raid were The explosions and the mar of at least 150 killed and 480 wounded. the engines roused the whole city Reuter's correspondent from slumber but few had oppor-counted 83 bodies between the East tunity of finding a place of safe-Bund and Honam.-Reuter. ty.

HEAVY CASUALTIES

`himself

TERRIBLE TOLL

Canton, To-day.

Already at least seven hundred One or more bombs fell oppo- site the Chinese Y.M.C.A. on the casualties have been unofficially Honam side, destroying many established in this morning's houses. Here the toll is believ-raid, but scores are buried in de- ed to be exceptionally heavy.

Three or four bombs dropped near the Tiger Balm Building and close to the Bank of Kwang- tung.

A further group of raiders con- centrated on points in the north- ern suburbs: Bomb after bomb was dropped and it is presumed that the objectives were the Fourth Route Army headquar- ters and barracks. There are, however, several hospitals in this

area.

The "All Clear" was sounded at 9.20 a.m.

It is learned by telephone that part of this morning's attack was concentrated on the loop- line, but the extent of the dam- age is not yet known." Our Own Staff Representative.

NUMEROUS RAIDERS

Canton, To-day. The overnight lull was shattered at 7.80 a.m., this morning in Can ton when the now-familiar air-alarm warned the résidents of the approach of raiders who commenced bombing the district near the Pearl River „bridge and the old power atation,

It is feared that the casualties are heavy as this district is not like the others so recently evacuated.

monkey which was the only living thing in the vicinity of the bomb crater, and which es- caped only by being chained to d tree and squatting close to the grounds

MASSACRE 213 Although a number of the corpses had already been re- moved, the correspondent counted amongst the surround- ing shambles, 84 complete tor-. sos and it is believed that at least sixty were killed at this. point alone..

Further on another... bomb had landed in an open space, with no casualties apparent.

Crossing-the-bridge-towards- Honam, still further scenes of blood and desolation was wit- nessed, and 49 corpses of the poorer class boat-dwellers had been laid out on the sidewalks, while limbs and other sections of bodies were piled nearby in

AT ROULIPBAY

SUMMER AMENITIES

DINNER DANCES

NIGHTLY

(Mondays excepted).

SUNDAYS CLASSICAL MUSIC

to 7 p.m.

LUNCHEONS TEAS

UNRIVALLED

BATHING FACILITIES

CABINS DE LUXE

axim

(providing accommodation for 12 persons) Week-ends & Holidays.$10.00 per day max Other days

5.00 per day maximum Prepaid Reservations" "conditional for week-ends and holidays effective at the Hongkong Hotel Reception Office.

· PRIVATE CUBICLES (maximum accommodation for 2 adults

2 children) $1.00 per day

RESTAURANT

and

BAR BASQUE

NORTH CHINA

London, To-day..

Mr. I. C. Hannah (Conservative, Bilston) in the House of Commons, called attention to the embarrass- ment of British trade in North. China arising from the imposition of the new paper currency by the Federated Reserve Bank, without backing, with the exception of a nominal credit of 100 million yen in Japan, of which the export was prohibited, and voiced the alarm of British merchants in North China, lest all the currency in North China take the form of inconvertible notes and prevent British merchants from realising on their assets.

Mr. RA. Butler replied affirma- tively and said that representations have already been made to the Japanese Government and the Bri tish Government is continuing to watch the situation closely.” Reuter.

a gruesome heap..

DESOLATE STREAM

The correspondent visited the Chungshan hospital and saw there saw a desolate stream of dead and dying being carted in for the attention of the over- worked doctors and nurses who are already fully occupied with care of the previous cases.

Over 100 wounded" arrived- while the correspondent watch ed, some dying as they reach- ed the gates, while it is under- stood that three or four other hospitals are catering to similan numbers.

The total death-roll for the morning is estimated conserva- tively at being over 150 killed and 480 wounded, but the cas- ualties are actually probably. much higher. Reuter."

RESERVATIONS PHONE 81221 "LIDO"