1947-04-17 — Page 1

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VOL. II NO. 166'

The

CINA MORNING PORT

autil

Prinist and Pubilayer

Hongkong Telegraph.

THURSDAY, APRIL 17, 1947.

1,200 BELIEVED KILLED IN VIOLENT

Palestino Tense

Troops On Active

Service

Jerusalem, Apr. 16.

General Sir Alan Cunningham, Palestine High Commissioner, under a declaration officially gazetted tonight, invoked the Army to place all British forces in Palestine "on netive service."

This is the first time that froopa in Palestine have been placed "on active service" sitten the end of hosti- Ktles.

The effect of the declaration is that military discipline can be adminis- tered as though the troops are en- gaged with an enemy and that for certain classes of nitences military Justice is extended to civilians.

The main difference between this and statulory martial law is that it permits more summary methods of irlal and punishment.

Meanwhile. tension. is rising i throughout Palestine tonight as Bri- fish armed forces prepared for the Irgun Zval Leumi'a threatened

More Police

For I.K.

London, Apr. 16.

Additional staff has been engaged for the Hongkong Police

• and

Nursing Staff

additional

is being

engaged, the Colonial Secre- Creech tary, Mr Arthur

Jones, said in the House of Commons today,

Other measures to cope with the increased popula- tion of Hongkong include

of modernisation

police and intensive equipment training of new recruits, the establishment of temporary hospitals, increase of facili ties for public inoculation and the setting up of a social welfare department. -Router.

JAARALLIARTEMIERERA | RESORAS BONUSTEBATE BAG ORPAGTATRABBANIA

Flogging For

Robbery

"Sevenfold" reprisals for the execution With Violence

this morning of Dov Gruner and three ather Jewish terrorists.

British troops and pollee through- aut the Holy Land have been aleriod since dawn and the curfew blankets

almost

350,000 of Palestine's estininted 000,000 Jewish inhabitants.

FUNERAL GLOOM

No vehicle-except police and mill- tory cars on duty-may move after sunset and a funeral gloom? hangs over the whole country.

Any reprisals against British forces, or British elvilions, will be followed by military rule--and withdrawal of civil government from areas in which attacks occur, it was learned authorlintively,

The Palestine Government has scrapped the term "statutory mur- inl law" for "controlled areas.' But the provisions of statutory martial law remain enchanged and are to be imposed at any time.

There is the strongest resentment throughout Jewish

Palestine and especially among the religious com munities at the fact that no Rabli was present when Gruner and three other condemned men walked to the scaffold in Acre prison today.

man

Stern Sentences

one

London, Apr. 16. Justice George

McClure of

the

Bailey court. twice Old imposed

"of" "the oldest penalties under British law to- day when he ordered four men and a youth of 17 to be Blog- ged for robbing with violence. In two separate cases, a total of

63 lashes was ordered.

The youth, Ronald Bell, was sent to a reform school for 12 months and ordered to be given 12 strokes of the birch for his part in helping two men beat George Judges, crippled shopkeeper, in an attempt to extort money from the victim. Peter Johnson, negra seaman, was tenced to 15 strokes and 21 months in prison: while-William-Knight, soldier, received 12 strokes and nine-month sentence.

When Mr Justice McClure

Inbourer, tit Erie Hanson,

Gen-

E

heard and had

EXPLOSIONS

Texas City Devastated

After Nitrate-Laden

Ship Blows

Up

TEXAS CITY, TEXAS, APR. 17.

A TERRIFIC EXPLOSION IN A NITRATE-LADEN SHIP TOUCH- ED OFF A CHAIN OF BLASTS THAT KILLED AN ESTIMATED 1,200. PERSONS, INJURED MORE THAN 1,000 AND DESTROYED OR DAMAGED Much of this gulf coaST PORT CITY OF 15,000.

According to Mr G. B. Finley, State Highway Commission maintenance engineer, property loss will run into millions. He said he had received reports from his crews indicating "around 1,200 dead." Finley said his information came from the director of crews clearing away debris and searching for bodies in the explosion area.

The blast shook the Texas coast for more than 110 miles. Windows were shattered at Galveston, 11 miles across the bay. Many fled from Galveston buildings thinking a major earthquake was occurring.

The original explosion occurred aboard the French ship, Grand Camp. The second explosion blasted the nearby multi-million dollar Monsanto Chemical plant. Others followed, levelling stone buildings in the centre of the city.

sions wrecked the water system.

Poisonous gas was reported to be Iniltrating the city.

ducks.

Dino At the

P. G.

For

Reservations

Price 20. Cents

Tel: 27880

Marshall & Stalin Get

PREPARING Nowhere

FOR WORST

Copenhagen, Apr. 16. An official report said to- day that King Christian's condition had further de- teriorated today and that he was "now-and then some- what unclear" and dozing at times,

was

Rellable sources sald Danish Cabinet members had been asked to remain at their homes. This was interpreted generally as an indication that bad news re- garding the King's condition was anticipated.

After publication of the afternoon bulletin, the po- pulation was prepared for the worst.-United Press.

Swearing Off Smoking

Public Reaction To Increased Dutics

Moscow, Apr. 18. Authoritative sources said to- day that Generalissimo Stalin and General George Marshall had "accomplished nothing". In their face-to-face effort at the Kremlin on Tuesday night to break the Big Four deadlock.

Referring to the stalemate of the Council of Foreign Ministers on such vital German issues as reparations, economic unity and the Four Power disarmament treaty, an authoritative informant said, "Tho altuation has not changed one iota from before the

thing. It accomplisher no-

Asked whether that meant

meant the Moscow conference would end abruptly, the informant sald be did not think so. He said the Ministers would need several days to go through the Austrian treaty though the final agreement on it may

be possible

here.

not

even

A limited report of the conference between Stalin and Marshall leaked. out despite Marshall's "orders" to the American delegution to say no- thing to the press until he himsel decided to say something.

IRRECONCILABLE

More than 12 hours later, Marshal) dld agree to tell the press that ho talked with Stalin for 20 minutes and that he had asked for an op- pointment last week, The Kremlin set it for last night.

An authoritative source indicated that a wide range of subjects per- taining to problems of the Big Four Council was discussed.

London, Apr. 17. Britons by the millions swore The authoritative informantn dicated that in the end neither Mhr off smoking on Wednesday and

shall nor Stalin had budged an inch" then made the rounds of the

from the

and Russlan American tobacco shops for a final nicotine

positions taken tri the Courdail binge before new highest-in-meetings. Now, as far as Marslin). history prices went into effect.

the Monsanto ot

Fires raged freely as the expio-Garrison, whose estimate was based hundreds of curious' onlookers at the

un reports from his working crews.

The Conal Guard placed the death. All aboard the vessel were report- toll between 100 and 1,000, and the jed killed. injured between 2,000 and 3,000. The heaviest material loss is be

lleved to be The

Mid-Western Red

Beginning on Thursday the pack- Cross Chemical plant. Headquarters reported that 500 The Reconstruction Finance Cor-age of 20 cigarettes that cost six- bodies had been removed from the puration reported from Washington 1930 will set the smoker back three pence in 1914 and one shilling in Texas City explosion.

and that its $1,000,000 in shelter at Texas shillings and four pence-a shilling

City-the poly in refinery in the more were being found constantly.

The explosion in the Grand Camp Western hemisphere apparently increase in 48 hours. followed a fire which had attracted was undamaged.—Associated Press,

The National Guard was called out to assist in rescue work and to pre- vent looting. white relief workers poured in from major Texas cities. Estimates of the casualties are highly variable. Finley's estimate of 1,200. dead compared with 350 by the Director of Public Safety, Mr Homer

City

arcu

Becomes A Raging Holocaust

"Nine out of ton of my customers say they will stop smoking at mid- night tonight" said a Fleet Street tobacconist who sold his day's stock of cigarettes before 11 am.

"Not one in a thousand will really his wife predicted. "They

stop" Galveston, Texas, Apr. 16 son gas was reported to be infiltrating | may even be higher. Long-distance Two terrific explosions apparent into the city following a ship ex- turce telephone communcation from say they will but wait till the old [ craving comes upon them. I hope ly at Texas City-rocked Galves-plosion,

New York to Texas City was sildyou don't swear off" she told her fon today. Another report stated, Meanwhile, the Houston Chronicle impossible at 6 p.m. (GMT) Efforts husband "you're bad tempered en-

in reach Texas City and the neigh- bouring towns both by telunone and ough now," commercial teleprinter have also been futile so far.

however, that two terrific explo-sold that 75 dead were reported by slons had occurred on board the Uility Company official at Texas vessel "City of Rouen and two City, Ile was quoted as saying: hours after the explosion, repolts

Its "There are 75 dead at one elinie still conilleted about which ship alone." The Chronicle described it was involved in the blasts.

as the worse Industrial disaster in A report by the Houston Texas Texas history. Chronicle sald that the paper had been informed that at least 75 were killed and 100 an ex-

City

A holocaust is raging in the clly according to the Texas City police chief, who tonight sent an appeal for all possible uld.

The Palestine Government's cx- planation is that the Jewish chap- lain who was asked to be present Alfred Foy, domestic servant, refused.. Jewish religious leaders beaten Mrs Emily Henrie, 78-year-

described ald widow, when robbing her of herplosion aboard

08 say that the chaplain was a lay leader with no paltry savings, he ordered both men offlelal standing.

flugged. Hanson got 12 lashes of the "cat o'nine tails" and one year in gaol, while Foy was sentenced to 12 strokes of the birch and nine months.

-United Press.

Opinions expressed today by Jows of all classes ranged from "cold- blooded murder" to sarcastic "bad political timing."-Reuter.

EDITORIAL

Mr Dalton's Bombshell

ASIDE from his estimated re..

venue

new

and expenditure gures, which are staggering illus-

the nation's 'trations of capacity to pay and spend, Mr Hugh Dalton has delivered hii- self of one of the most astonish- ing financial statements yet made

by

an

able to

English Chancellor of of

Exchequer,

Τη the face estricted

and general Juxury consumer goods-limiting spend- ing abilly-the Treasury has been wheedle out of British the financial £180.000.000 year just ended more than was anticipated, while the estimated deficit has been re- duced by £167,000,000, Jubilant ly Me Dalton described this result

faxpayers during

as "not a bad starting point for

excursion: The

The excursion མས Inlo а real pleasure

place

J

eveloped trip when the, Chancellor pro-

_me. ceeded to estimate a £248,000.000 1947-46. Bot the surplus for -speech was not'all honey, In the

drst

expectation of general, reduetion In' Income: fax. did not materiallae, although con restons have been made that will take three-quarters of a million people out of the direct taxation clam: secondly, Mr Dalton des livered a solar plexus punch to all sections of the nation by in- Gresaing tobacco daties 50 cent, which will have the

brutal effret of hoisting retail prices of ciraretics to 3s 4d for 20 and nd- vancing the cost of pipe tobaccos by in, 24 an ounce. The measure. apparently, is lofended to fry and

per

50

correct Britain's dollar reserve

· position-Mr Dalton, adrolily hinting that it is. not quite

of the country's good as some economie and financial experts would have the world to bellove. Bluntly

Britain the people of have been informed that they are American mucli amoking, too tobacco and as a resull depleting e Treasury of vital gold hold-

It Ings, From this

Inferred is that the nation's chief dollar com- mitments are invested, in tobacco

suspect be purchases: slightly 'cause tobacco sales accounted for

about only, one-eighth of the total revenue for the year. Mr Dallon faint of the probable off- #ave no set to this dollar expenditure by currency" exports to the "hard

Rather did his down- countries. richt

that attitude suggest the country's perilous dollar situ tion can only be met by =*whole- Kale elimination of

Britain's essential. Fuxury tobacco, Such an wpopular measure requires courage: it also calls for astute and accurate estimation

public

reaction.

Mr Dalton and his Cabinet colleagues can expect hostillly. They can also anticl- pate vigorous demands for fuller

Britain's present. Information on and immediate future gold credits in relation to the American los and potential Income from exports, The people will not willingly accept the proposed tobacco in- post without being fully entisfled that it is to achieve a desperately essential purpose.

Injured int Teas

The Chancellor of the Exchequer Hugh" Dalton" who"caused the "price increase by raising the duly on in- ported tobacco in order to cut dollar spending was scolded by such diverse newspapers as the sedate Manchester Guardian and the Com-

Daily Worker. munist

"Extortionate" the Worker. cried

purse,

The Intert reports said that the tre resulting from the explosion had spread to a chemical plant ut along side the dock. The entire Red Cross Reports from Galveston reaching organisation has "been put on the Now York Enid that Coast Guards re ported that explosions had occurred those in the area where a recent tor-In denouncing, "entioning by mety's

alert

and workers at St Louis and one hour and a quarter after an out-nado killed more than 100 persons of the break of fire in the ship Grand Camp. are being rushed to the scene of the official organ the Daily Herald said Coast Guard boats rushed across the explosion. These reports added that there was no doubt the rise would bay to the scene to battle the flames. the earlier binst had set off an ex-be unpopular but hoped most A Houston official also said that the plosion at the Monsanto Chemical people would realise the need for There is no way of estimating Texas City authorities had asked for Corporation plant.

smoking less. the killed and Injured", he said, "as alt available gas masks,

Damage was said to be heavy st Mr Dalion who smoltes cigars and hundreds of people were working also requested "several hundred more

dred mare | Galveston, where shop-windows were will pay more for them hereafter on the dock at the time of the ex-stretchers and for all available mor- brcken and plaster ceilings tell. had a tip for people who were mad plosion.

Many people are walking phine in this part of the country. The smoke which billowed over the at him: "Work off your grudge by in the streets in a daze."

American Red Cross headquarters city, obscuring the sun, was des-knocking off smoking altogether" he A civil official at Houston said that in Washington have received cat-cribed by residents as resanbing said.-Associated Press. Texas City ofcials have sent a wire-nates of deaths ranging from 100 the "mushroom" scen In etures less message to Galveston that pol- to 100 and it is feared that the tall lafter an atom bomb explosion.

hau

The First Eyewitness Story

Is concerned, the next move is up to Russia. He thinks that either the Soviets must make concessions

to provide a basis for negotiations or the cent

conference will end without qny concrete accomplishment beyond an exposition of view of various powers.

That was the situation as pre- sented by responsible quartora which "guessed that the conference would end in the latter part of next week. Some others, however, foresaw the possibility that the meeting would- break

this weekend.-United Press.

up

BRITISH FLOOD RELIEF FUND

Donations Recolved

Already acknowledged

In memory of "WJW.

(per "H.K. Telegraph $110,373.00

10.00

Li Po Chun....

100.00-

Lt. and Mrs W. H. Jacobs

50.00

G: Forder

25.00

0.5.

60,00

Li Koon Chun Li Teo Font.

200.00

200.00

John D. Hutchison &

Co., Ltd.

1,000.00

Staff Club, Chinese Mari-

100.00

250.00

200.00

Mme N. du Breuli

-100.00

Co.

A. Dransfield & Co. Lam Yuct(memory of

my wife). Liebermann Waelchli &

Yuk Ping Tyeb & Co. F.D.H.

100.00.

10.00

100,00

10.00

200.00

50.001

200:00,

Fung Keong Rubber

400,00

100.00..

50.00

100.00

100.00

TWO STRIKES END Calcutta, Apr. 17. The 80-day-old strikte of the Cal- cutta tram workers was called off time Custema, Kowloon by unanimous vote today

and District Mr W. K. Sandberg, Vine-President that he believed the ship was carry- |eunted to avoid danger from later Simultaneously the 24-day-old Yu Xing Co., Ltd. of the Texas City Terminal Railwaying ammunition and had called at explosions.

strike of Bombay's electric supply Mr and Mrs Fung Ping Texas City, reportedly to take on a Company, giving the first eye-wit-

Fon The Galveston Tribune said that and tramways was officially ended. ness account said that the first ex- cargo of fertiliser. Early today, he the ship Grand Camp

The Calcutta was a total

walkout involved plosion was on

ship said the ship was discovered ablaze loss and that steel beams and metal 0,000 workers Frenen the

and affected nearly "Grand Camp," which had left five and steam was applied but efforts from the ship and the schemical 1,000,000 dally passengers.

to bring the fire under control fall- minutes previously.

plant were hurled over Texas City. The work stoppage arose out of Red

nowod. Then the ship was towed out

One report said that steel was hurled demand for a living wago" and estimate the Anal death roll will be into the stream but before she could 15 miles away. There is no water persisted despite threats of dismissal In the neighbourhood of 300. The be got clear

first terrlic to fight the many raging fires and and legal action by the company and New York radio, however, stated explosion occurred.

the streets are Jammed with thou-government officials. --- Associated. An eye-witness added: "The con that the number of dead and injured

(Continued on Page 4) will not be reliably lenown for cussion

terrible. Wis

It, cracked several hours.

new buildings from end to end." A With Improvised bandage on his multi-million dollar chemical plant badly cut hand, Mr Sandberg snid is i

reported to be completely wreck-

► CAREFREEN KRISTEN DISTANCE CONTENTIASCICUREZZAKONNA OBARI 30

Cross headquarters

STOP PRESS

Latest Explosion Figuros

Texas City, Apr. 17. The Red Cross reports that the elty

ed.

the

Mr Sandberg wald that It was rumoured the ship was carrying ammunition but this so far has not been, confirmed. He added, how- ever, "I feel safe in saying that it did"

Press.

Chang Chun Succeeds Soong

As Premier Of China

He was in his office when the ex-

Nanking, Apr. 17.

ago when some factions.said Soong plosion becurred and when he heard General Chang Chun be- was partially responsible for block- the blast he jumped under his desk. came Premier of China todayment Communist truce.

ing the effectiveness-of the govern Another witness said: "The devas- tation here is the most terrible thing

Chang served on two committees Chang was a member of General you ever saw. As I speak, I feel seeking an end to China's civil war George C. Marshall's Committee of that there are thousands dead and He-advocates building up China by Three that brought about a truce

peaceful Industrialisation. Injured." has been placed under martial law the explosion ranks

Ker Cross headquarters said that Chang succeeds T. Soong who

V. omong major resigned on March 1 under mounting In consequence of the destruction disasters in the history of the United criticism that his policies contributed caused by the explosions. The Texas States. Staging Ares are preventing to China's economic crisis. State Department of Public Safety

rescue workers from approaching the Chang was governor of Szechwan has ometally reported 350 dead and

scene and the blaze has spread to province. He has been a friend of more than 1,000 Injured, while the great oll storage tanks at the port. Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek since State Highway official, Mr. Pato

they were classmates at a Japancae The Communista declined to receive Lascomb has reported 1,800 dead some ty of which are burning, United Press,'

Stone buildings in the centre of military academy.

him, charging the government was Texas City are reported to have been Chang reportedly was in line for insincere in the proposed steps to- levelled and residents are being eva- | the premiership as long as 14 months' ward pence--Associated Press.

ance

agreement.

Chang also was a member of the committee to effect the government Army reorganisation under the truce terms.

As recently as December, Chang was named emissary to the Commun

1st Headquarters at Yenan.

The Asia Company

Manufactory, Lid.

Star Taxicab Co., Ltd. Mr and Mrs H. W. Milla LA. Sterling kong Of- D.C.R.E.

Hongkong

cera Bess

Mr and Mrs Hugh Braga Mr and Mrs J., Wolfe Union Waterboat Co., Ltd. John Manners & Co., Ltd. Anon

30.00

100.00

600.00 :3,000.00

28-005

$118,200.05

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