Paris and London Press Make Strong Comment ITH the Japanese claiming t the town of Sungkiang and o have captured one corner of the Chinese stating that they were moving troops to cut the small Japanese force which had penetrated Chekiang off from their base on Hangchow Bay, yesterday's war situation in the neighbourhood of Shanghai reached a critical stage.
Japanese observers professed to see a move on the part of the Chinese to withdraw from the Jessfield and Hungjao areas, west of the city; but foreigners who visited the spot stated that late yesterday afternoon there were few signs of withdrawal, squads'of coolies and men in uniform of the Merchant Volunteers, seen carry! ing supplies and miscellaneous stuffs westwards along the Hungjao Road, being as likely on their way to the support lines in the battle south of the Soochow Creek, as carrying away essential material before a general retreat to lines further in the west.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.