The British steamer Sagres, with Cap command, was seized on April 8 by the Japanese Navy off the Fukien coast while it was proceeding to Foochow from Amoy with a cargo of salt, it was learned today.
The Sagres was "taken into custody" to Baku in the Pest dores for verification of its right to fly the British flag, it was reported. H.M.S. Thracian left for Swatow to file protest with the Japanese naval thorities over the seizure, thoritative sources said.
Williamson & Company, own ers of the vessel, said that the Douglas Steamship Company: had chartered the vessel two go. OMcials of the said they expected the to be released soon.—United Press. of Puhsien, numbering some 150 men, women and children, turning out to see us off "they have been greatly cheered by your visit." the magistrate told "You are the first stranger to here since the war began, and feel they are not forgotten by the outside world.
'As we left to climb a steep trail Into' the hills, the people shouted slogans such 9s "Resist. for ever." and stood watching us till we were Out Of sight On our way out of the town we passed a yard in. which stood the Feimains of some half dozen Japanese lorries, the remnants of a captured caurus, Our guide, a member of the local defence force, described the fighting around the town three months previously, in which he had participated. He pointed out with Felish the graves with which the bill slopes were dotted, telling how 1 men were buried in each. teen soldiers there," he "On the first visit of the apanese, ing to one mound. we destroyed the road treated, foreing them to a motor-iorties, which we captured. We used many: of the motors ply power for our small mountains, and then beat the re:
jing. steel Into" weapons and showed me a pistol.
"An ordinary village blacksmith made this, using a Rand forge," he lid, "The man had no training as mith. Tt is made irom steel from those lorry The weapon wae cruel finished, resembling in general outline Mauser pistol.
dyes, he gully below is full of dead Chinese and Japanese: look!" he claimed, indicating a grassy ledge where i human skull and a heap of bones lay bleaching in the sunshine. hen the Japanese supplies were running short owing to our attacks fon their convoys." he said, "we retook the hills around the town, Which they were then obliged to abandon. Then we pursued them through the mountains, ambushing and attacking at every turn.
"Now they are trying to come here again for the third tine. Perhaps they will, but we who know the country will attack them unawares, ake them by surprise and cut their communications will they are obliged ous ejector device The magistrate wid me that the blacksmith, with two assistants, was able to make two of these pistols each day at @ cost of less than tive Japanese have done in this province has made us determined to fight them to the bitter end." Reuter.
Chungking, Ape. 12.
don't think the Japanese either intend oF are able to cross the Yellow River In an advance on Sian in the near future," General Chiang Ting-wen,- Chairman of the Shensi provincial government and Commander of the 10th War area (embracing that province) told Reuter in exclusive interview today.
"It they want to come further west in North China, it is more probable,' the said, "that their strategy will be to advance from the direction of Hankow, via Siangyang: but the topography is such that they will have to fight their way through mountains and pay such a price for Sian that the venture will not be worth while.
"We have been preparing defences for many months, and have a success sion of Chinese' armies so placed that, if one is broken, another fresh force must be encountered by the Japanese, and so on.
"A foreign military attache, who visited our defences recently, told me Jon his return that he thought the [Japanese would be fools to try to take Sian."
Troops to Other Areas Since the war had not yet entered 'Shensi province, General Chiang. 'Ting-wen' continued, the Chinese commanders in Shensi had sent reinforcements and supplies to other more active war areas.
"Shensi has sent 250,000 recruits to the army." he declared. "Now we are concentrating our attention on political education" and economic development. We are establishing a model pao chia, or mutual guarantee system. It is a vehicle for recruiting By Tol and also a medium for polit Turning to the economic development of Shensi, General Chiang Ting-wen said there were excellent prospects for a good wheat crop this Sear: and, although there was plenty of cotton. the number of mills. was TasuiMctent. "Therefore, the authorlties were encouraging the use of "A. significant velopment, Ihe con-was the widespread encour-of the ce-operative move-Shensi.
Provincial Government has sen a Joan of $6,000,000 for the extension of industrial ce-operatives, while local banks have contributed $4,000,000 and additional Yeans have wen by the Central Govern General Chiang 7
"Textiles, soap and munitions are among the produeis now being turn-fed out in increasing quantities.
"Communications are also. being rapidly improved. Three thousand kilometres of new roads have been Duill in the past twelve months. 'The new railway' is also expected to be completed in eight months' time.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.