Troops Believed to Have Been Withdrawn Information has privately been received in Shanghai that the Chinese soldiers who have been in occupation of the Chapoo Fortified Zone since July last, have now evacuated.
Oficial confirmation of this information was not possible yesterday and it was further revealed that foreigners passing through on the Hangchow-Shanghai Highway on Tuesday (Feb. 5) had observed that the [soldiers were stil! In occupation.
pointed out that reports of the evacuation of the Chapoo area have been received from time to time previously Lut that the soldiers in ques-ton had always returned later.
The foreign resident in Shanghai who icceived the information Jon Saturday morning that the soldiers had left Chapoo" also stated that during the past months while the soldiers were still" in loceupation, he had been able to visit hi: house in the Chapoo hills, He had been to his house in the fills during the Christmas and the New Year holidays and had gone subsequently and also during the Chinese New Year holidays, He had, however, been refused admittance by' the usual route by the front entrance to his house and had had to make use of 3 back way to gain entry. In doing 30 the hed left his car by the roadalde and had not been otherwise molested by the Chinese soldiers. His house ts some distance from the actual scene of fortifations.
Inquiry that day revealed that it Is still considered dangerous for forelgnets to travel into the hills as they: are sill open to active Interference from the solffery, who, it is stated by perso: is who have passed along the highway as recently as last Tuesday. were holding the whole line of the Chayv0 and Kangtu Hills, The Fortifications was learned that the nature of the fortifications oelng set up by the [Chinese sappers were so-called "pillbox".s," small domes of concrete to house' machine guns and a restricted univer of men to operate. them, [Theve were about forty of these set along the highway at strategic points.
Il appears that there is no other sort of fortifeation being attempted trid that barbed-wire barriers and the Uke, set up in July when first, the fard was occupied by troops, have bern taken down and removed.
he nature of these "pillboxes," according to one observer who has taken a special interest in their conjstiuction, appears to be that of 0 equerete hut the walls of which are jour four to four and a halt foot Bick. They are very well constructed. tha "been specially" blastes open. to Having been set deep into rocks which
ecelve the foundations. Entry into these huts is gained by way of " small pening about four to five fest high fo reach which a hole with stops down into it must be passed. Possibly eight men at the most could be Jerammed into one of these bute if packed standing close up to each fother, but to all intent and purpose no more than four men to operate machine guns can wone in the huts. Window apertures with a wide range to allow for movement of the nozzle the machine-gun are provided ooking out on strategic sections of the area to be covered, The huts themselves are now covered over with earth for camouflage but they can: teasily be discerned for what they are from the roadway.
To photograph these structures or Jany part of the roadway 1s stelctly forbidden and the soldiery and Peace Preservation Corps agents interfere immediately whenever they have grounds to suspect that pictures have been taken.
Foreigners who are not sure of their way about the country-side are advised' not to attempt to, visit the Chapoo or Kangtu until foflelal assurance is given for their safety. Matters relative to the proerty of foreigners in that area are sill pending consideration and settlement before the Chekiang administrution In Hangchow.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.