Centre of Hostilities Found Peaceful But Desolate Effect of Tremend lous Bombardment Shanghai, Oct. 29.
HE Rising Sun flag flies triumphantly over the Admit istration Building at the Shanghai North Station but while it signifies a major Japanese success it surveys a panorama of almost indescribable destruction, For 75 days the North Station has been the principal target of attack from land and air, Incredible quantities of explosives have be en poured on it by heavy land batteries and from large bombing aeroplanes, and as the Chinese retreated it formed the focal poi int for a long line of fires which involved hundreds of buildings as the Chinese troops methodically withdrew leaving a long column of flames and smoke in their wake to hamper the Japanese present front line at Jessfield, Viewed yesterday morning in bril~ Hiant sunshine with smoke well up the railway line forming an impenetreble screen for a vision of what was happening more than a mile away, the panorama was very confuse ing. Constant bombardment of the North Station has created almost earthquake effects in the area. The Administration Building,—battered and blackened, with gaping holes in roof and walls, still stands, as a defiant sentinel but it has. suffered, tremendously, Constructionally, it is sound but a tour of the building made by a "North-China Daily News" reporter yesterday revealed tremendous pounding tt has received.
must have been struck thousands of times by missiles ranging from rule bullets to bombs.
An inspection of the roof shows that bombs have penetrated two or throe floors. Shells have pierced the walls and passed through the other side, Bombing created a big. fire which blnekened one wing. Angles of the building hang over dangerously as if ready to fall, All the windows fare out and sandbags covering the saps Indicate the Chinese resistance. Throughout the building there is a medley of overturned office furniture combined with beds, barricades and defences, and a mass of telephone wires, From The Roof From the root the reporter viewed desolated Chapel to the point where huge volumes of smoke obscured the vision. Below, the North Station Ite salt has suffered tremendously. The railway lines commence under a tangled of twisted and destroyed platform sheds and disappear into a viously blue-grey cloud of smoke. Boundary Rond. buildings are riddled with bullets and broken by shells although some British soldiers at their various posts, strolled up and down and passed cheerful remarks now the Tension has passed. Leaping tongues of fire penetrating the Dank of smoke showed now fires m existence, but on the north of the building' in the Chapel area ap-Pronching the somewhat rural dise {riet houses wore in flames yesterday fud an occasional crash of bricks and masonry as another building col-Tapsed Mustrated the fearful spread of the flames which has reduced Chapel to ruins, A: few birds. flew in-and out of the Administration Building showing that war is war Dut the feathered colony do not ap-Prvciate the fact.
The Administration Building stands fgolated in a flaticned sector. For hundreds of yards around the smui-Yor buildings are Just charred skeleons while the open spaces look as gigantic tractors have been at work tearing up. the ground. So terrine has been the rain of explo-ives that walls are cracked and the Stout asphalt roads are split with deep fissures similar to earthquake effects showing the tremendous shaking to which man-made forces have subjected the district, This is additional to the destruction from direct hits on houses and many crab tors—not as large as might have been expected from the large bombs and shells usod—but indicative of the efforts employed to drive out the Chinese. The question immediately Mashed on the mind was not that the advance along the railway to the by the Japanese in dislodging the [Chinese forces. A tortuous system of narrow alleyways is dotted at about every 80 yards with sandbag redoubts, Some built in houses, others ai strategic corners with " communica tions through holes torn in walls anc fan elaborate system of telephones. Casual inspection revealed a sort of game of chess—exeluding the grim side—with pieces capable of amazing Aexterity of moves for a large area explored showed an Intricate system of defences at unexpected places and [danger points confronting the unwary ina manner which showed no unskilful hand la their planning. 'To See a Chinese shop with string of silver joss paper hanging from. the ceiling and a strong sandbag redoubt covering an' essential corner common sight and shows why the Japanese resorted to more drastic measures than street Aghting.
Whatever the reason, the district Inspected was absolutely clear of military material or supplies, indicat Ing that the Chinese in their retreat eat ried with them everything of practical value.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.