Shanghai, Dec. 19, 'ANNED by a skeleton crew, and with twenty British women and their children on board, H.MS. Capetown, which has been bottled up at Hankow since hostilities opened, is now making a dash for Shanghai and safety.
Most of her officers and crew, 250 men in all, travelled down to Hongkong by train during the early part of October, and the handful of men now on board the: British cruiser is performing almost herculean tasks in an attempt to get past the new boom which is being erected between Kiukiang and Hankow before the river is closed.
The Capetown was to leave Hankow yesterday, and should she get through safely, she will be followed by a British river steamer carrying a large number of British and other foreign women and children, The steamer, the s. Woosung, will be given the escort of H.M.S, Gnat. planes sighted the News of the unexpected and sud-train on several occasions, once when den decision was received yesterday was in the station at Yingteh, Giv-from Hankow through Reuter. 'The' ing the station a wide berth, said the news service reported that the British cruiser, which has been bottled up in [spokesman the planes bombed other the middle. reaches of the Yangtze sections of the railway.
River" since hostilities opened " in On one occasion, however, the: August and the frst boom across the British naval authorities protested to river was closed at Kiangyin, was the Japanese against the bombing of preparing to leave at noon yesterday the railway at points just ahead fora quick dash. for Shanghai. the special train. Admiral Haseeawa The Capstown is carrying twenty. the Commander-in-Ch'et of the Japan British women and their small babies, ese Third Fleet, in replying, guaran who were forced to rush preparations teed the safe passage of Capetown to leave after a fow hours' notice. The but it was not until she nally ar~ general reaction and talk In Hankow, rived, safe and sound, in the Colony Reports Reuter, Is that the decision of Hongkong that everyone felt reflects the serious view taken by the British authorities of the relations tonnage of now existing between Great Britain and Japan, ye Grinch guns, two 3-inch anti The Capetown ix racing to got aircraft uns, four -pounders, two through the new boom between Ki [2epounders (pom-poms) and a num dang and Hankow before the open-ber of other fight and machine Ing'ls closed, Her success in getting Her present skeleton complement in= through {0 'Shanghai is, for this cludes ten emeers. reason, uncertain, A further factor which' may spoil her chances for "Marooned" Ships Here success is that the falling river may: 'A number of foreign river vessels have become too shallow for the which had been "marooned" above British cruiser, which has a draught Nanking since the opening of hostili-of just over fourteen fect. ties came down with the convey accorded H.M.S, Ladybird and" the Train Evacuation Dangerous USS. Cohn, and arrived here on It wax at frst planned to evacuate Friday safely from Kuan. They in-all foreigners now staying in Hankow Jeluded two A.C. tankers, one small by moans of & special train to Hong-motor-ship, two Indo-China Steam kong, which was the method used for Navigation Ca, ships, the Kengwo and the transportation. of the naval the Siangwo, and two China Navigaoflcers, men. and. marines who left tion Ca. ships, the Wantung and the the Capetown in October. This plan thas mow been abandoned as it Is felt The Wantung, incidentally, brought to be too dangerous, in view of the fas passengers a number of Post Ofice frequent bombings of military trains omeinte from Nanking. along the route during the past fow Capetown Due in Two Days days by Japanese naval alreratt.
Instead, the China Navigation Ca.'
Shanghai, Dec. 20. s, Woosting is now making arrange Leaving Hankow at 430 p.m. on ments to follow the Capetown Ina Salurday, HIMS, Capetown, which is dash for Shanghai within the next making & dash for the boom between two or throe days, Hankow and Chinkiang now being The s, Woosung, which will be built by the Chinese forces to prevent ven an escort by IMS. Gnat, river he approach of Japanese warships to unboat, will carry British, American, the new seat of government, anchored German and other foreim women and bbolow the city during Saturday night, children, who are expected to number and continued on her way yesterday about 360 in all, No Chinese passeng-morning. All being well. and if the fers, however, will be carried, British cruiser manages to reach the he dash of the Capetown will be boom before it is closed to all ship~ followed with groat interest, espectalping by the Chinese, she should ly among the men of her ship's com-arrive at Shanghai in about two days' pany who, to their regret, left her time.
Meanwhile, difficulties which arose with only a skeleton crew when they travelled down to Fonskons in Octo between the Japanese and British ber. Her present complement of men naval authorities on the Yangtze with and emeers is estimated to be tess regard to the passage of ships on the than 'a hundred all. told, and these Tower part of the river have now were left on board in order to take been seitied, It was learned yester-the cruiser down-river as soon day. It ig not known precisely what navigable conditions on the Yangtze these diMeulties were, but they are believed to have resulted from certain permitted, misunderstandings between the Japan-"Capetown 11" Dash Reeatled fosse naval authorities up river and those at Shanghai, These dimeulties The 250 officers, men and marines arrived in Hongkong on the night of wore cleared up at a meeting between the "Senior British Naval Officer In October 9, after an anxious three-day Shanghai, and Vice-Admiral, Kiyoshi Journey during which the Canton Hasegawa, when it was decided that 'Hankow oilway was bombed at British ships should be allowed to several points, in one case ten bombs being dropped only a mile ahead of, pass along that part of the river under Japanese control, but that the Japan the pecially chartered' train, which ese would not assume responsibility was nicknamed "Capetown Th" Bes for the Immunity of British vessels aides large flags displayed on top of from firing by Chinese snipers the train, Nanking, Tokyo and. the shore, oF"from mines.
Japanese" Commander-in-Chief "The three British vessels, H.MtS. Shanghai wore all informed In ad-Capetown, "the China Navigation vance of the trip. ors 5. Woosung, and H.MS. Gnat, addition to the affeers and mon which is accompanying her, will be of, the British cruiser, the "Capetown preceded down river by a Japanese LI" carried twelve other foreisers, including 9 number of missionaries warship, presumably a minesweepers. and the Teyear old Dr. Grant and Certain' stipulations are being made his wife, During the course of the by the Japanese naval authorities on the Yangtze with regard to the pass-trip, a message from the train was received in Hankow on October 7, age of British ships down river. hose fare primarily designed to ensure a "Capetown If still afloat, The course feaxiinum of safely for ships making rough and the speed is 20 knots, the trip. Convoys are Iimiled ut there 1s no enemy in sight. We ight in number, and a limit Is also arrived at Changsha at 850 pam, and Placed on dreaght, which Is not to Gxcced "Ave metres, or roughly eft at 9:20 pan." eighteen feet. The latter regulation Journey Twice Interrupted considered necessary: in order to clear mines, Because of damage to the line, the!
Journey from Hankow to Canton' was Wuhu at Noon To-day interrupted on two occasions, both at points near the southern lly. The Hankow, Dee, 18 arly was forced to pass an entire simeatty f° navigation, the 4200-ton Stopping overnight, because night at Lokehong, which is about 140 tiles north of Canton, and then again British cruiser Capetown, with 23 at Yintak, a city only 20 miles away tremen and 20 children bard, 5 from Canton, where Capetown TT was in'iiukdang this afternoon, but ill held up for the greater part of the not stop day.
"AL mid-day to-morrow the Cape Precautions taken to ensure a safe (own is due ut. Wubi, which will be Journey met with great success. The the only stop during the journey to naval spokesman at Shanghai reported Shanghai,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.