'Protect British' order in China
FAMILIES FLYING
OUT TODAY
·
HONGKONG, Saturday.
N airliner of Hongkong Airways took off
A from here early today for Canton to
evacuate 20 British women and children fol- lowing the anti-British riots in the South China city yesterday.
The plane was expected to return from Canton, which is only 90 miles away up the Pearl River, within two hours.
Every available air liner is being mustered to fly out British women and children to escape the threat of a growing wave of wild anti-British rioting.
Already the British Consulate in Canton has been completely destroyed by a mob of several thousand Chinese, and demonstra- tions have begun in other parts of China.
Last night, following a protest by the British Ambassador, Sir Ralph Stevenson, the Chinese Government ordered all local officials, on pain of severe punishment, to protect British consulates, lives, and property.
In view of the growing antl- British feeling in other big Chinese cities, apart from Canton, Sir Ralph asked for increased guards at the British Embassy in Nanking.
A big demonstration had been held by Chinese outside the Embassy earlier.
The Chinese Government state- ment, ordering the ruthless suppres- sion of anti-British riots, also ex- pressed" deep regret for the un- fortunate incident at Canton."
[11
Mr. John Williams, a British mis- sionary, and his wife, formerly Linda Morse, are still unaccounted for following the sacking of the Canton Consulate.
The Vice-Consul, Mr. K. Black- well, was slightly hurt.
Angry mobs
Last night, while angry Chinese mobs roam the streets shouting anti-British slogans, all British families in Canton-they include between 50 and 100 women and children
were accommodated for safety in homes attached to other foreign consulates.
The trouble arose following distorted accounts of the eviction of Chinese squatters from con- demned insanitary huts in Kow- loon, British-occupied portion of the Chinese mainland opposite Hongkong Island.
Two of the Chinese were gaoled for resisting the police during the eviction, and this led to a Chinese Government protest to the British Ambassador.
Agitators dragged up old disputes about the occupation of Kowloon.
Chanting mobs gathered outside the Canton Consulate, and police escorted Mr. Ronald Hall, the Con- sul-General, and his staff from the building.
Martial law
Mr. J. L. Murray, the Press Attaché, his wife, and Barbara Rolfe, the Consul's secretary, ran the gauntlet of the mob to the home of the U.S. Naval Attaché, narrowly escaping injury.
Then, led by uniformed members of the Nationalist San Min Chui Youth Corps, the mob stormed the Consulate, smashed all the furniture and set it alight, then held back the fire brigade while flames engulfed the whole building.
Adjoining offices, owned by But- terfield and Swire, the British ship- ping firm, were also burned out, and other buildings were damaged.
Three hours later Chinese troops arrived and dispersed the mob, and the Shameen quarter, where the riots occurred, has been put under |martial law.—B.U.P, and Reuter.
iz.
Daily Mall
17 JAN 1948
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