Chinese press reports from Kwangtung and Kwangsi Provinces indicates that the Chinese High Command in South China is rushing preparations to meet the anticipated drive by the Japanese forces into southern Kwangsi.
In view of the possibility of the Japanese landing troops at Luaichow (Haikong) and also at Pakhoi, the Chinese authorities have abr ordered the evacuation of the civilian populations from these areas.
The garrison commander at Wuchow, strategic city on the West River, has been replaced.
Chinese press dispatches claim that General Tsai Ting-kai, former commander of the 19th Route Army, and famed for his defence of Chapei during the 1932 hostilities, is at present directing operations on the West River front.—Reuter, The British gunboats Gnat, Mantis, Petrel, and Tern which are at present at Hankow will not make the trip toj Shanghai with the Luzon and Amiral Charnier, the "North-China Daily News" was informed yesterday by British naval authorities in Shanghai, who stated that negotiations between them and the Japanese naval authorities were still in progress.
It is understood that the Luzon will bring to Shanghai a party of twelve American women and children who have been isolated at Kuling, the mountain resort near Kiukiang, when the vessel reaches the latter port on her way to Shanghai. This has been made possible by negotiations between the American, Japanese and Chinese authorities in the area. Also aboard the Luzon will be a number of American residents from Hankow who have been unable to leave the city since it fell into Japanese hands.
"Nothing Settled"
Reports that the British gunboats in Hankow were awaiting the arrival of relief ships from Shanghai before leaving the port were denied in Shanghai yesterday by local naval authorities, who added that at the present time nothing had been settled with regard to the movement of any ships, A relief force of 110 British bluejackets which arrived in Hankow
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.