Shanghai, Oct. 31.
Starting at dusk the Japanese forees, carrying out their intention announced earlier in the day, commenced their attack on the Chinese "lone battalion" holding out in the Joint Savings bank godown in North Soochow Road yesterday. Fierce fighting ensued as the allackers used heavy machine guns, hind grenades and afterwards brought up artillery which scored direct hits on the build Ing which had been heavily defended by the Chinese during the day.
Early this morning, a lively' battle was proceeding, shots flying all over the district and the noise of the fghting sounding all over the Seitlement As it was expected that the Chinese would abandon their position, the Municipal Police, on the instructions of the British railitary authorities [holding the sector, brought up ten motor trucks to transport the men ishoula they cross the creek but at 150 am. fighting was extremely heavy. The trucks were originally parked at the corner of Avenue Road and Vu Ya-ching Road but were later moved to a point near Chekiang Road Bridge white the battle raged gravely Imperiling people on the south side of the creek.
With the Japanese attacking from the west and north of the godowns, concentrating principally on the north, the fiercest fighting yet witnessed on the edge of the foreign areas followed. Heavy trench mortars dropped their charges on the building and shots covered a wide area, several fying over the Central district and dropping into the river. As the terrific cannonade and machine gun rattle grew worse there was an Immediate evacuation from the south side of the creek fronting the godown, hundreds of Chinese hastily snatching their belongings and seeking shelter elsewhere. A number of casualties were reported in the district -but precise details could not bbe ascertained early this morning as the battle continued.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.