An interesting situation is likely to be created by the despatch from the United States to China on board the motor vessel Wichita of, twenty Bellanca aeroplanes, It is by no means clear that presidential invocation of the Neutrality Act would prevent their proceeding to their alleged destination if made while they were upon the high seas. The situation may, however, be changed by the declaration by the Japanese naval authority of a partial blockade of the China coast against Chinese shipping. Not that that in itself would interfere with the passage of the Wichita to a Chinese port, it being assumed she is not under the Chinese flag, but with the declaration of such a blockade it becomes increasingly difficult to decide where the Sino-Japanese conflict ceases to be a mere incident and becomes plain and simple war, That the Japanese may have to decide for themselves, for if their navy takes upon itself to search for and detain contraband of war then the present anomalous must of necessity come to an end. The grave consequences of such a step may deter the Japanese from taking any such action, though it is open to very considerable doubt whether they will stand aside, and, by inaction, permit the Chinese to receive such a valuable accession to their air strength as twenty such machines would represent.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.