Persistent Japanese Attempts to Cross the Creek Bring on Bitter Engagements Shanghai, Nov. 5. [HE most severe bombardment Shanghai has heard for many days rocked the Western District from 7 p.m. onwards last night as Japanese batteries opened up on Chinese positions south lof the Soochow Creek.
Bitter fighting was in progress throughout ithe day, becoming intensified after dark, with the results unknown, to noon yesterday, the Chinese forces reported success in holding the Japanese units at the points where they had crossed the creek, claiming their strength to be between 600 and 700 men, Most of these were said to be holding out at Wuchiaso, a village to the south of Dien Doo. About 80 to 100 more were said to Ibe barricaded inside a small, red brick house in the village across the creek south of Sung Ka Doo.
Japanese communiques issued late last night reported that further detachment crossed the Creek at 3 o'clock yesterday afternoon south of Kiangchiaochen, and joined the Wakizaka and [Shimoe units, who had crossed two days earlier.
The new detachment is said to have launched an offensive immediately against ithe Chinese and it was reported that they were the Chinese forces to the south."
Beginning about 7 o'clock last night, a heavy bombardment, was in progress in the western "outside Foods" district, the bright bursts of shrapnel being observed from parts fof the Settlement and French Concession. In addition, trench-mortar and machine-gun fire was plainly The Chinese, preparations to hold the western "outside roads" area were continued throughout yesterday and resulted in the placing of long lines of barbed wire, the digging of new trenches in many places and the improvement of redoubts and machine-gun emplacements. Tt was Reported that heavy reinforcements were arriving, ablely from Teinpy. [The area generally had been cleared lor civilian Chinese.
During the Japanese shelling yes terday afternoon it was reported that the Institution for the Chinese Blind Deaf, 290 Hungjao Road, was again struck and damaged, This property on Wednesday already had been reported partly wrecked by nese spokesman. At Warren Piece, machine-gun fire from across Creek. "A Chinese attack is said to have reduced the number to about 80 to 100, who were still, at noon, holding out the house, 'Sporadie fighting was reported from Siso Nanziang, the spokesman said, remarking that' the situation other fronts remained unchanged.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.