Tunis. Sept. 6.
Fishermen in Kelibia declared they had heard mysterious explosions two nights ago and saw a ship in flames, and it has been confirmed that a vessel was torpedoed or shelled, and was sunk off Cape Bon. The fishermen said they heard two explosions followed by fire on the vessel, while the aggressor focused a searchlight on the sinking ship for several minutes, No debris was seen nor was any of the crew picked up.—Havas, Fireworks Forecast Paris, Sept. 6. The Mediterranean Comference will be held, according to dependable circles, at Nyon, mid-way between Geneva and Lausanne, on September 10. Stormy discussions are envisaged by the French press as a prospect of the Conference. "Sensational developments and surprises' are forecast by the newspapers.—Reuter.
Over on the Pootung side, near the China Merchants' Engineering Works, is a little piece of American property, flying the Stars and Stripes. It is a private motor launch belong: ing to Mr. Mark L. Moody, and it was nearly converted into a mass of pulp by Friday's fierce duel between Japanese warships on the Whangpoo and Chinese snipers and batteries on shore. Shells were bursting all around it, fired at point blank range from the Japanese guns, and a big fire swept the waterfront only a few yards away. The launch, however, placed together with another vessel up on the slipways to the right of the Engineering Works, was unharm-Fearing for the safety of his launch, Mr. Moody approached the American Consul-General on' Saturday, and asked him to make representations to the Japanese Admiral. Mr. Moody stated that as the daunch was American property, he would be entitled to put in a claim for damages if it were damaged by shells from the Japanese warships. Representations were made through the American naval authorities to Admiral Hasegawa.
On Sunday, a Japanese naval pinnace went over to the U.S.S. Augusta to make enquiries as to the exact position of the launch. Although Mr. Moody has received no official notification guaranteeing immunity for his craft, it is understood that the Japanese naval authorities have promised to do their best not to hit it in possible future engagements. Mr. Moody told the "North-China Daily News" yesterday that his launch was the largest private pleasure craft in the Far East.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.