Shanghai, Sept. 29.
Inquiry of the Shanghai Waterworks Company elicits the infor-motion that the Chinese military spokesman {s under a misapprehension. The Company has taken and is continuing to take full precautions to see that its premises are not used for observation purposes by unauthorised persons. The ewer in question has been under the guard of the American, Marines who have seen to it that no access to it is given to in-traders. That vigilance, indeed, gave rise to the incident to which the Chinese spokesman referred but of which he evidently had imperfect information." What happened was that on Sunday a non-British, non-American officer of the Shanighal Volunteer Corps with (we Japanese friends sented themselves at the tower with the apparent. intention of ascending it to view the sur-Founding country. They were at once challenged by the American Marines on guard and an officer of the Marines ordered them to leave the premises at once which they did, The ill-advised visit therefore had no success, been discovered when they occupied the Civie Centre was branded a pure fabrication by the spokesman." Likewise, the charge that Chinese troops had been using "sneezing shells" was denied again. The spokesman said was "an absolute canard and is evidently being circulated for the Durpose of preparing the ground for as attacks by the Japanese."
Twelve Japanese planes flew over Chapel yesterday in groups of three and four. Bombs were dropped the North Station and Markham Road area, but the damage done was slight, One plane was reported to. have been brought down by intense anti-aircraft fire, but no oficial con-Mrmation was forthcoming from Chinese headquarters.
Following the aerial bombardment, tone detachment of Japanese marines Taunehed. an offensive from Jukong Road, but were driven back. During the. engagement one Chinese was Killed and" two were wounded. Japanese casualties were about ten, the spokesman said. Some attempts to launch surprise attacks by the Japanese were frustrated.
After a lull of two days, Japanese troops in the Lotion sector began to show considerable "activity on Monday and especially yesterday morning. A' large-scale" attack was Fepulsed by the Chinese. according fo the spokesman. IL was noted that the range of Japanese guns in this sector had been increased to reach Ssu-siang-king-miao, about 2,000 metres west of Lotion on the Cation-Kating highway.
East of Liuhang Chinese troops continue to hold the line with the Yung-an Bridge as its centre. Japanese attempts to break through the Chinese left flank and out the line of communication between Dazang and Liuhang again met with failure fon Monday, said the spokesman.
According to reports of Chinese scouting parties which succeeded in penetrating into the Civic Centie area, "the Japanese are building strong trenches on its borders.
Chinese troops in Chape! opened on Japanese planes with anti aircraft' guns yesterday for the frst ime since the hostilities began. As Japanese bombers circled over the istrict, dropping their deadly "eggs" on intersections in the Woosung Rail way where roads crossed the line, bursts of shrapnel appeared in the: it around them, and more than once It looked as if one of the planes must bbe hit. On the whole, however, the Chinese anti-aircraft fire was well behind the bombers, the" gunners. seemingly. preferring to wait until the machines had passed over before iselosing their own positions, The Japanese retaliated with some heavy " shelling of the district in which the anti-aircraft guns wera hidden. The bursting of their shells could be clearly seen from the Settlement south of the creek, but it was fairly obvious that they had ttle idea of the location of the guns they were after, Until yesterday the Chinese had been content to shoot at the Japai ce planes with machine-guns, and was believed that the anti-aircraft gun had been moved into position under cover of night, as a disagreeable surprise to the Japanese aviators who, to yesterday, paid slight altentfon the machine-guns, Yesterday, however. the shrapnel "drove them higher than usual, though it did not Interfere with the perfect formation they kept all the time.
A fire was observed yesterday afternoon near the Civie Centre, but by evening it had been brought under control or had burnt itself out. Tt was believed to have been caused by a Chinese shell 'Fourth Push'
Asked any signs of the much-heralded Japanese' "big. push ned been seen, the spokester sad thet fentingaound Lotion indicated the Beginning' of tne "fourth push arlapines'alegtons that aeon rounds of dit-dum' ammusion in act forthe purchase Gt 480000
"unnamed foreign "county" had
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