Shanghai, May 21.
Quick action on the part of the ship's company saved the s, Ridley, Jo $,000-ton vessel under charter 10 Messrs, Dant & Russell, from possible disaster yesterday morning when a fire started in the ongineroom as the ship was discharging timber and logs at No, 15 Buoy, off For the larger part of yesterday, the sound of heavy gunfire not far from Shanghai was clearly audible over a large section of the Western District. The ring, chien heavy artillery re, appeared to come from line between Minghong and Sungkiang, where, in fact, Chinese guerillas have been active of late, One foreign report, however, suggested the fung might have been near Tazang. Japan ese. offielalcireles yesterday. evening were unable to account for it, but Suggested "It may have been target practice."
Residents of. Hongkew and Yangtszepoo districts also reported having clearly heard the sound of intensive anti-aircraft fire near Woosung, apparently emanating from Japanese warships, in the very early hours of the morning, The Japanese naval spokesman was also unable to account for this.
Motorists driving out into: the Hungjao aren, as well as residents all over the Western areas, reported hearing audible artillery "thuds" all morning and the greater part of the afternoon. 'Two members of the "North-China Daily News" staff also reported hearing artillery fire during the early afternoon, one from apartment house In' Aventic Haig, near the girls! school, the other from the eastern end of Rue Paul Henri. Also present, after a lengthy absence, Feported one motorist, were addition al barbed wire barricades in Chung shan Road and in Lincoln Avenue.
'The Japanese spokesmen suggested, with" a smile, that the latter Toast slowed down "fast drivers," but could give no explanation of' their presence. They had heard that artillery practice was to take place near Shanghai "in the near future" and thought that this probably accounted for the reports of gunfire, Arrivals from Pootung and villages south of Shanghai during the past two days report increased activities of Chinese guerilla bands In Pootung to the south of Minghong and in the vicinity of Sungkiang and Kashing, Severe fighting first broke out in Yihsia, southwest of Minghong, on the Pootung side of the Whangpoo. Japanese reinforcements were rushed io the scene, other mobile units scattered! around Sunda, started 9 large-scale attack on Japanese troops, ding 10 a Chinese report.
'A concerted attack has been lauric! on Japanese positions at Tehsing kang. a small village situated between Minghong and Sungkiang and to the north-west of Yihsia, In the fuhting, troup of houses at Yihsia has been severely damaged.
Wangtien, a town to the south of Kashing. was captured by "guerilla bands a few days ago, but was abandoned by them when' the Japa ose sent a large force from Kashing.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.