Japanese Destroyer Said to Have Fired First: Flatly Denied Tientsin, March 14.
According to a statement made by the Diplomatic Representative of the Director-General of the North: Western Defence Forces here, a Japanese destroyer fired on' the forts first after which the forts replied.
This is flatly denied in Japanese consular circles, who characterize the report ay "absurd." 7 According to the Chinese version, the forts signalled to the incoming, destroyers to stop but no attention was paid to these signals, © The Kuominchun troops then lined up in the forts, observing which one of, the destroyers opened fire, wounding 12 of the Kuominchun soldiers, after which the forts replied and—the! destroyers turned back towards the General Lu Chuns Kuomin chun General, lodged an mediate strong protest with the Japanese Consul-Genera The follow: the official Japanese casualty Commander Katsukida, Petty-Officer Hatton, ne military officer and three ratings} all slightly wounded; the Chief Clerk on the destroyer Fuji, Pay-Captain Tsuji and the pilot Imamural All seriously wounded, 'AIL of these have been sent to Port Arthur for (reatment,—Reuter's Fucitie Ser
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