Harbin, Nov. 4.
'The party of journalists consisting: of representatives of twa 'American dailies, one Italian, Reu-tex's Muldon: agent and two or more Chinese Southern papers are just back from their trip down' the Sungari. They went as far as Fuchin only, where Admiral Shen, the Commander of the Sungari Fleet, had his headquarters, the latter deeming it unsafe to allow them to proceed to Lahasusu, The Chinese Navy put up a very. good fight against heavy odds at the latter port, and suffered heavy losses. The Red gunboats had inch "guns, besides aeroplanes against the 3" guns of the Chinese, appears that the marines who landed were practically wiped out Joy the Red troops, The latter wont jon. to attack the Chinese troops on the hills behind the town, and the marines got them in the rear in+ tieting losses. The Chinese troops feat a hasty retreat, #0 that when the Reds turned back they overwhelmed the small force of gallant maring Tt is quite clear that the Chinese squadron will have to retire when Jattacked. by the. Reds, whose or in over way. interesting: to know that the latter have. six armour-protect-fed_vessels each, carrying two 6-inch guns mounted in turrets fore and ft, and central turret with 3-inch guns. The warships are without funnels and. driven by powerful oil Diesel engines, and by filling their two water-tanks are able to sink below water surface, their towers only. remaining visible. Their draft is only five-feet when afloat and 12 fect when submerged, An Interesting History The history of these boats is interesting, 'They' were built at the [Baltic Works in 1913 and sent out Vladivostok. In 1015 when 'Admiral Kolthak was in charge of the. Black Sea: fleet their guns and lenggines were dismantled and sent to, Odessa, in.1919' they wore equipped: with: American guns, at Viadi-Yostok, andi towed to the Amur where' they: were used: as, engines by the Whites against the Reds, into whose: hands they fell. 'The latter in 1924 rot new. Diesel engines: from. Ger-irony, £0 that, the ships were. restored: to, their original: build, and fare very: mach: superior to any. vessels the: Chinese: possess. They inet' as their own icebreakers thanks fa their armoured hulls; the back
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.