(b) Tsingtao Milis:—With the outbreak of hostilities around Shanghai, tenseness of atmosphere In Tsingta: was rapidly intensified and on August '26 on evacuation order to leave that port was issued by the authorities, It was then arranged that the whole of your properties be laced inthe hands of the Chinese authorities under a solemn pledge of their safe custody, "Ever this evacuation only very meagre Information concerning your properties was obtain able, as there were absolutely "no Means of access to the port of 'Tsingtao, 'You may visualize how worried all concerned were during this period of suspense. On or about December 18 the wholesale blasting and firing of fall Japanese cotton. mills, "except Chinese workers' dwellings, was carried out with such force that almost all buildings - and machinery [were completely reduced to mere heaps of serap and ashes, Tt came light tater that this wanton destruction was carried out by means: of "highly powerful explosives a well as the spraying of heavy. all, apparently under an expert's supervision, "Raw cotton, manufactured goods, stores and furniture and even 'SMaff's private belongings were all
mounts to the tremendous figure of Yooted; our direct loss thus' sustained Such an atrocious attack on private Property where no hosllities existed, for no single Japanese soldier wai Janded—has never been heard of in the annals' of history.
With the landing of Japanese rerees later, 'a number of our staff were allowed to proceed to the mill premises and are now engaged in works:
rehabilitation in the face of considerable personal inconvenience and hardship. "Tu this connection 1 have the very sad duty to announce that we of our Japanese star were taken away by rebels on February 19 and nothing has singe been heard of their whereabouts although every possible attempt to rescue them was made. As there is now not the faintest hope of their safe return our deepest sympathy goes to their bereaved families.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.