"In order to dispel any misconeeptions?" the spokesman told Domet last night, "I wish to emphasize that the Advice to Shipping on Yangtze River Shanghai, Dee. 14, Japanese military' authorities yesterday urged foreig shipping on the Yangtze to stay out of the zone of hostilities in the Nanking Wuhu area "in view of the use of the waterway by Chinese troops as their only avenue of escape."
The advice, made public at yes terday morning's press conference by a Japanese military spokesman, oMclally asked foreign Vessels "to cease navigating" on the Lower Yangtze, Elaborating on this point, the military spokesman declared that neutral vessels should preferably slay out of the zone of Aghting or, If anchored, remain at a point outside the tones of Chinese Statement by Adm, Yarnell snangnul, Dec, 46.
Admiral H. E, Yatnell, Coms mander-in-Chief of the US. Asiatic Fleet, issued the following statement Just nights "With reference to a reported statement made by a Japanese Havel spokesman that American aval vessels would be withdrawn jvom the Yangze River at the request of the Japanese authori. es, the Commander-in-Chief faenies that any such request has been made, It would not be approved, if received. The ves-cis Of tne United States Navy ow Ju Chinese waters will main there for the protection of United States nationals us long fay such necessity exists. The USS. Oahu was directed to bring survivors of the USS. Panay to Shanghat as no other vessel was fayallable, She will return: to hee lation in the Yangtze in the due course of ti offer was made to any foreign war vessel wishing to proceed downriver.
he suggestion that foreign ships should "leave the Yangtze was not made by the Japanese authorities, he said "if my: statements gave that impression, such an interpretation was wed, the spo pointed out, how= ever, that with a possible extension of the zone of hostilities on the Yangt forelyn war vessels might move up-river to a point where other boom would bar progress,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.