Inspection Party Views Desolation, and Visits Japanese In Front Line Positions an advanced, sandbagged post on the Woosung Road, just beyond the University of Shanghai, a Japanese officer, haggard from stress but exultant at the lull in situation following the landing of Japanese troops, pointed out features of the scene to a small group of foreign newspaper correspondents yesterday morning.
The Japanese advanced line runs approximately along a creek beyond the University. The Chinese line is on the other side of the Woosung Road among the fields now at the crop-producing stage, while beyond, dominating the horizon, is the Far Eastern Racecourse Grand Stand. In this mass of fertile green and brown fields it was difficult to pick out any Chinese positions, but a shot came over dropping near the tourist party and there was then no questioning the Japanese officer's statement.
In an interview with Commander Yoshitatsu Yasuda, commanding the Japanese Naval Landing forces _in the eastern Yangtszepoo district with his headquarters in the Japanese Primary School, the Japanese situation was outlined. Commander Yasuda told his interviewers that after severe fighting, the Chinese had been pushed back beyond the Settlement boundary and were 1,500 metres away. Snipers had been rounded up and he was optimistic of renewed peace and quiet in the Settlement within the area under his control. The Japanese Naval Landing Party forces expected to effect a junction with the Japanese troops recently landed in the Woosung area, and thereafter the Chinese pressure on the Yangtszepoo district would be removed.
Apologizing for receiving his guests in a small room with sandbag
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.