1929-06-21 — Page 5

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BIG. EXPLOSION IN CANTON.

CITY UNDER A HAIL OF LEAD AND STEEL.

RESERVE ARMS AND AMMUNITION OF A DIVISION

BLOWN UP.

FIVE HUNDRED SOLDIERS IN HOSPITAL,

There has been another big explosion of military stores in Canton, and yesterday the reserve arma and ammunition of a full Division caught fire and blazed and exploded for over two hours.

The camaltios were heavy and at least 500 soldiers were rushed to a hastily improvised hospital.

Canton is singularly unfortunate with her munitions of war and there were two big explosions of a not dissimilar nature during the latter half of 1928.

Our Chinese correspondent, who was an eye-witness of the disaster, senda the following graphic detalls,

"

INCENDIARISM OR CARELESSNESS?

(FROM OUR CHINESE CORRESPONDENT.]

CANTON, June 90. The armoury and ammunition store of the 3rd Kwangtung Divi. sion, in the big Pat Ki Guildhouse on Pat Ki Boad, next to the Bund, suddenly caught fire at about 1 o'clock this afternoon, Thursday, causing' widespread death and desi truction.

1$

The fire is still burring at the time of writing. Bombs, high explosives, rifle cart. ridges, and artillery shells were constantly bursting with deafen- ing, reports. These explosions went on for over two hours, sending a deadly hail of iron and lead in every direction. From a distance the explosions, which started at about 1 c'clock and lasted until, half past three, sounded like a battery of heavy artillery in action. One fifteen pound shell was hurled over a build ing and dropped into a gutter in Taing Shin Ho Street.

CITY IN A PANIC.

Whilst the conflagration was in progress the whole population in the Eastern part of Canton was thrown into a panic. Trou gates in front of the shops were shut, and the people in the street dodged to safety to every direction like a flock of frightened chickens.

The representative of the Daily Press, upon hearing the loud and continuous explosions, at once rush

BIG LOSSES.

The conflagration has destroyed all the reserve arms and ammuni- tions of the 3rd Division."

Big field pieces, machine guas, rides, automatics, and, several thousands of hand grenades which were stored there were all destroyed

The Guildhouse was at once turn-

ed into a temporary hospital for wounded soldiers, and within an hour of the frat explosion over 500 wounded soldiers were being treated thero,

Practically all of these soldiers rashed out into the streets in the nick of time. All the maloos in the vicinity of the burning building are now crowded with wounded soldiers. No one knows the exact number of casualties, as the 'Sre is still going on. But it is believed to be very heavy. Over a score of pedes- trians

were injured by Aying missiles and the building next to the Pat Ki Guildhouse was badly damaged, the wall being cracked and a large number of bricks dis- placed.

FIRE BRIGADE HELPLESS.

firemen stood at some distance

THE HONG KONG DAILY PRESS, FRIDAY, JUNE 21, 1929.

REBEL REGIMENT DISBANDED.

AS BAD AS BRIGANDS.

THOUSAND ROPED PRISONERS

IN CANTON.

WATER QUESTION.

(Continued from Page 4).

The permission of the Chinese Provincial Authorities and the Com- missioner of the Chinese Maritime Customs has been sought for taking the water requirements of the Colony from this source.

The estimated cost of this scheme [FROM_DER_CHINESS, CORRESPONDENT.] is approximately 800,000 a month. apart from the initial cost of adapt- ing lighters for the carriage of

CANTON, June 90. Following a refusal to take orders from Canton Military Headquarters in the war against the Kwangsi faction, the Special Auxiliary Regi. meat under Colonel Liu. Yuk Sbau was disarmed on Wednesday in Samshui on the western terminus of the Canton-Samshui Railway. The work was done by the troops of Colonel Wu Han Ping, commander of the 5th Regiment of the 3rd Brigade of the First Division. Col. We was acting under orders of General Chen Taai Tong who had long suspeated these troops of dis loyalty towards the Canton Govern- ment. Colonel Wu was secretly ordered to assemble in Samahai and be in readiness to cope with any situation that might arise.

The trap having been laid, Liu Tux Shan's regiment was then or dered to assemble in Samshui pre- "paratory to going to the front in Kwangai. The men refused, and Colonel Wu's troops at once storm All were quickly disarmed without ed its camp, taking them unaware,

resistance and approximately 400 rifles and large quantities of am- munitions and supplies were brought to "Canton this morning. The disarmed soldiers, over a thou.

and strong, were also brought to Canton with their arms tied to ropes. Men with good records will probably be incorporated into other my units, while the unsatisfactory ones will be given money ordered home.

THE COLONEL ESCAPES.

Colonel Liu Yuk Shan,

azd

com-

water.

A.P.C. Tanker.

tinues to do very useful duty in At present H.M.S. Cherub con- transporting water from Wangmoon, and the s.8. Fukwong, a light tanker. tered for this service from the of 1,400 tons capacity, has been char-

Asiatic Petroleum Co., with draught capable of negotiating the Wangmoon Bar at all states of the tide.

The proposal to use the Royal Naval dry dock for storage has again received careful consideration. Apart from the serious dificulty of overcoming contamination of the fresh water by seepage this question is "dependent upon the use of

To Prevent Recurrence, The following permanent mea- sures are being taken to increase the supply:

1-1he Aberdeen Valley scheme, estimated to 'maintain a daily supply of 9.14 million gallons during the driest known period.

It is hoped to call for tenders within two months for the construc- of catchwater. The necesary pipes tion of the dam and a short length and pumps have been ordered from should be available by the Spring Home, and water from this source of 1931.

which has now received the ap

-The cress harbour pipe line proval of the Consulting Engineers is likely to be available for the able of delivering up to four million spring rains of 1930 and will be cap. gallons a day to the island.

3.-The Dragon's Back and Mount investigated and preliminary draw Pottinger Catchwaters have been

ings prepared. The minimum yield from the areas intercepted by these catchwaters is estimated at 11 million gallons a day. Construction work can be commenced next year if sufficient staff is available.

Byewash Schame.

4. The contract for the construc. tion of the Byewash Dam has been signed and notice to commence the work given. It should be possible to impound a certain amount of water in the reservoir in about 14 The total storage months time. will be 175 million gallons approxim

tankers, which alone would involve an expenditure of approximately $500,000 a month for a supply of million gallons a day (not including the coat of water at Shanghai).

The estimated expenditure in con-ately. nection with the Wangmoon scheme is $200,000 a month, for a supply is hoped that this will prove to be of 3,000,000 gallons a day, and it

* conservative estimate.

Tht tankers would also require city than the existing tanks, and storage units of much larger capa-

would involve additional pipe lines and pumping ashore-thus further increasing the cost of this source of supply.

The

1.

Pumping Schemes, « alternative proposals

of

pumping from tankers into the Elliot filter beds or to the Tytam Tak pumping station have been carefully examined, and the Tytam Tuk scheme is proving to be the more feasible proposition. The Waterworks Department are pre- paring the scheme for laying the necessary

pipes connecting the pumping station with the pier which it will be necessary to build to carry the pipe out to the tanker lying off in deep water. The pipe will be erected by the Port Development Offce.

By this scheme it will be pos sible to connect. the tankers with the pumps at the Tytam Tuk pump ing station, which will deliver the water direct into the tunnel intake, when it will Row through the Bowen Road Conduit into the Eastern, Albany and Elliot filter beds as re-.

mander of the regiment, escaped capture and is now in hiding with a small group of his followers in the mountains, 'bordering Kwang-quired. tung and Kwangsi.

6.The Sheklipui Service Reser- voir now under construction will add 10 million gallons, to storage. It will be finished within a year.

8.-Investigation of the further sections of the Shing Mun Valley Dam at Pineapple Pass appears to scheme is proceeding. The Gorge

be feasible and preliminary inves- tigations at Gin Drinkers Bay, where there is a very large basin. capable of impounding fully 2,000 million gallons, have turned out well..

however, necessary before works of Considerable preliminary work is, this magnitude can be commenced.

Those and other possible sources of supply have been dealt with fully in Sessional Paper No. 4 of 1999.

SOME CHINESE

SUGGESTIONS.

MEETING AT 5.C.A.

According to the vernacular press, a meeting was held at the Secte- tariat for Chinese Affairs on Wed- nesday at which many prominent merchants and other members of the Chinese community were pre- sent. The Secretary for Chinese Affairs presided over the meeting. Some of the most important resolu- tions passed at the meeting were:

1. That the Government be re- quested to build more reservoirs in Kowloon.

2-That the Government be ask. ed to make grants to those who open wells for public use.

3.That the Government be ask- ed to alter the time of opening the street fountains from 5 to a 2.m. in the morning, and from 6 to 8:30 p.m. in the evening so that the water drawers avoid the greatest heat of the sun and to enable poorer people to draw water when they finish their day's work.

But most of It may be possible to arrange for tankers to convey water to "Hong the members of his staff were taken Kong occasionally on their way The fire brigade was at once prisoners and brought to Canton. through the Colony without incur Mr.. Li Yang King, Chief of Staff ring the greater cost of hiring them summoned, "but owing to the con- tinued explosiona was unable to do of the 8th Route Arany and the entirely for the transport of water; but in any case arrangements such any effective work. Most of the right hand man of General Chen as are now propose: must be made away from the fire to avoid being Tsai Tong, in a statement to the to take delivery of such consign- hit. They did ail that was possible Press, said that Liu Yuk Shan's ments as are carried by tankers with ed to the scene to make inquiries.in view of the difficulties of the Regiment had been behaving very

a storage capacity of about 10,000 He was stopped some distance situation and the writer saw three

1 tons. away at a military cardan. In con- injured firemen being carried from badly towards the civil population

Air Experiments. versation with an injured soldier the burning building.

and that they had also refused to On June 18 by kind permission of who had managed to get safely out-

the Commodore rain making ex- of the burning building, he was Bullets and fragments of shell take orders from the Canton Milacriments were undertaken by the told that the disaster had its and bombs are being picked up boys tary Headquarters.

-That the Government build a Royal Air Force." Seven fights were origin in a matshed attached to and curiosity seekers from the Bear the scene of the

made from the Kai Tak Aerodrome number of temporary shelters over the building. How the fire start-streets

by planes each carrying 1 evt. of the street fountains so as to pro- powdered kaolin which was disper-tect the water drawers from the located as to produce the best rehibit, washing of clothes or bathing 5. That the Government pro-

the Hong Kong and Kowloon Re in the streams at Robinson Road servoirs. Unfortunately, no appre- these streams.

as many people draw water from ciable results were obtained.

ed no one teemed to know. Some mishap. believed it was due to incendiarism, "No estimate could be obtained as while others think that it was to to the financial loss sustained, but carelessness. The military are in it is believed to be very heavy in vestigating the cause.

deed. "

TO CONTROL THE PRESS.

KUOMINTANG'S PROJECT.

[NAM CHUNG KEO NEWS FEZVIE

CANTON, June 20, Measures to bring the Press of Canton under the influence of the Party are being considered by the Canton City Kuomintang.

HSU KING TONG'S MEN IN FUKIEN.

(Wah Tes Yat Pao.)

"Nominally," he continued, "the Regiment was

4,000 strong, but actually it did not number more then 1,000. They were no better than bandits, and their forcible disbandment will mean a big saving in the army expenditures of the Province."

LOOK BEFORE YOU

LEAP!

A WANCHAI INCIDENT,

The campaign" against the pro Ewangsi troops under Hsu King Tong has shifted from Eastern Kwangtung to Fukien, Following their evacuation up Chao-an on the

Pedestrians in Wanchdi Road 11th fast. the pro-Kwangsi troops were provided with a first-class retreated northward, and at Kapo, thrill last night about 7 pm, when The Executive Committee is fully tacked and badly beaten by Fukien on the Har River, they were at.

a Chinese, who was being hotly aware that the Press is an import- troops, under Chang Ching. Later, pursued by others, for some un- act factor in public education, they were joined by two regiments discoverable reason, took a Bying especially during this tutelage which had been driven out of the period," during which the Party East River district and, with these leap from the roadway into the undertakes to educate the Chinese re-inforcements, they broke through ravine immediately alongside of people for democracy.

the Fabien troops and made off to Mesars. O, E. Warren & Co.'s pre- As most of the daily newspapers

Yungting in Fukien. and periodicals now being conduct.

Another report says that the mises.. ed by private individuals contain Kwangsi troops advanced to Shang. much that is unwholesome and hang in the north-west of Yungting which is intended to attract read- on the 15th. Later, they marched ers of the lower class of young towards Changchow and encounter men, the city Kuomintang bas de

ed Fukien troops at Luckyen. cided to co-operate with the Canton Newspapermen's Association to in- atitute a strict tensorship on such' newspapers and periodicals and at the same time to encourage the publicity of more news from the Party Publicity Bureau.

THE SICK CINC.

KWANGSI REMNANTS

STILL ACTIVE.

(Wah T Fat Poo,)

SHANGHAI, June 29 According to telegram from Amoy, the pro Kwangai troops under Hsu King Tong have arrived and are being centralized at Ting chow with the Reds under Chu Tak and Mo Chak Tuny. It is under- stood that the Central Govern

The jump was made rather too hurriedly, and the non landed face downwards, and then lay motion.

leas amongst the stones below. The drop is possibly about 3 feet, and the unfortunate Chinese landed very heavily.

Five police reservists on motor- cycles (states an eye-witness) ap peared as if from nowhere," and the man was placed in a side-car, and conveyed to his home,

Later, at about 8.30 p.m.. he was brought in a-ricksha to No. 9 Police Station, Wanchai, where it was found that both his legs were fractured. Owing to his condition, he was unable to give a coherent account of the incident, and he was despatched to hospital.

It was stated by some witnesses that after the man had jumped over

sed into clouds considered to be so

sults over the catchment areas of

6. That the Government pump Kullab Supplies.

into the reservoirs imported water. Supplies from wells and nullahs 7. That the Government use some are being made available in con- of the streams in Chinese territory. sultation with the Hon. Director of about 20 miles from this Colony. Medical and Sanitary Services. The water from this source is quite Particulars of wells opened have pare and could yield about a million. already been published. The follow-gions daily.

ing is a list of the nullahs from.

which supplies have been made NO RAINMAKING YESTERDAY. available to the public-

Star Street,

Victoria Nullah at Queen's Road

East,

Albany Nullah--Boundary Path,

Lower Tram Station, Wyndham Street/Wellington Street (from Glenealy Nul- lab),

No. 12 Bridge Nullah Shauki-

wan, Main Nullah, No. 12 Bridge Nullah Shauki

wan, West Branch, P.W.D. Annexe (from Albany

Nullah),

Tai Hang Village, Cadogan Street, Beach Street, Storm Water Drain Springs, Recreation Ground, Happy Valley, Albany Nullah at Queen's Road

East,

Albany Nullah at Kennedy

Road,

Albany Nallah at Macdonnell

Road, Duddell Street, Seth's Corner, Whitfield, ...Matheson Street

Yeo Wop Street, Pennington Street, Pokfulam Road/Shektantsui

Nullah

Hing Hon Road,

Bonham Road/Western Street."

acro-

We understand that no planes were engaged in rain-making yesterday.

WASTING WATER,

Before Mr. T. 8. Whyte-Smith at the Kowloon Magistracy yesterday, & woman was fined $5 for emptying a bucket of water into a side channel and was bound over to keep the peace on a further charge of assaulting another water carrier.

According to the story told his Worship, the complainant had filled one bucket of water, when the de fendant wanted to draw water out of her turn. The complainant tried to stop her and it was then that the defendant emptied the com. plainant's bucket of water into the side channel.

· A FOOLISH RUMOUR.

NEEDLESS ALARM IN WANCHAL

There was a persistent rumour yesterday to the effect that a Chi- the wells on the Praya East Re- nese youth was drowned in. one of

clamation.

Enquiries from the Wanchai Police Station and watchmen along At all wells and nullahs notices, the, Prays failed to substantiate

CANTON, June 20. According to the Headquarters of ste Eighth Army Boute, General Chen Teai Tong, the Commander-in- ment bave issued orders to the Chief of the Cantonese Army, is authorities of Kwangtung, Fukien the wall, his pursuers took ons look in English and Chinese, have been this story which must have originat.

till at the Ye Yuen Sanitorium. and Kiangai to dispatch troops to at him, and made off in the op although......nacasionally be aktends, make joist

posted warning the public that the led from some thoughtless... in- pon-thesposite direction clotrisalar must be heind used far godaald take on the Reclama The ramcary headyuarters”

could go!

able purposes.

tion functioned as usual yesterday.

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