Col. Hashimoto Had Gi iven Assurances that the Concentration Would Not Fired On Shanghai, Dec. 18, Sitting in the diminutive wardroom of IMS, Ladybird, where gashes on the wali plainly' marked—points which had been struck by flying shrapnel, a "North-China Daily' Nows" reporter obtained yesterday a first hand account of the attack on the British gunboat at "Wuhu last 'Sunday from Lieutenant P.M. Crichton, second-in-command. Following, the' occupation of Wuhu by Japanese troops, he explained, Lieutenant-Commander Hf. D. Barlow. the commander of the Ladybird, went ashore ud. interviewed the Japanese commander, Colonel Hashimoto, Commander' Barlow pointed out that a concentration of British shipping was {ying off Wuhu, being anchored close to the APE, installation, Colonel Hashimoto assured the commander of the Ladybird that the concentration uld not be fired upon, and that all British property wailld be respected.
Commander Barlow also arranged for a party of foreigners to go up to Wuhu on the Sunday morning, December 17, to obtain passes from. Japanese headquarters enabling them to inspect their property. Ironically enough, it was arranged that they should board a tug at 9 am. roughly when the attack on the British ships: took' place.
At 8 am. on Sunday,.the British Lumber "Company's ship. Tsingtat arrived at the shipping concentration from Nanking, carrying on board British Military" Attache, Mr. Pri-deux-Bruno, HIM. Consul at" Nanking, and "Capt, O'Donnell, Flag Captain to Rear-Admiral Holt, The party transferred to the Ladybird on their arrival.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.