Gen. Chen Chi-tang Abandons Canton and Flees to Hongkong: City Under Martial Law Canton, July 18.
ENERAL Chen Chi-tang sailed for Hongkong evening in} gunboat Hai Hu, which he boarded at Whampoa. His last! official act before leaving Canton was to proclaim strict martial] Jaw in the city and surrounding area.
General Chen's flight, which had generally been expected, followed wholesale defections from the armed forces of Kwangtung, of which he had been commander-in-chief until he was relieved of his post by the recent Nanking Plenary Conference, Government and he found his position untenable, The Kwangtung warlord at first expressed his determination to resist General Vu Han-mou, his Nanking-appointed successor, but his subordinates one by one cast their lot with the Central General Li Tsung-jen, the Kwangsi commander-in-chief, is also reported to have felt Canton. He is said to have made his departure by plane, his destination being Nanning, the capital of his province.
General Chen Chi-tang, handed over his military] affairs to General Li Yang-Icing,~commander-in-chief of the 3rd Kwangtung Army, pending the arrival of General Vu Han-mou, 'The last hope of the South-west of mobilising sulMicient forces check the advance of the pro-Nanking troops was dashed to the ground when Generals Chiang. Kwang-nal and 'Tsai Ting-kal, form= erly commanders of the 19th' Route Army, who had been invited to Canton "to participate in the anti-Japanese campaign." changed their minds and failed to appear to-day, as, expected, Their decision, it is believed here, makes It practically certain that the situation will be liquidated in the next few days without fighting Reuter, Air Force Surrenders Hongkong, July 18, 'The entire Canton Air' Force has gone over to the Central Government, According to an announcement by General K, ¥, Wong, Commander of the Air Force, who arrived in Hongkong by air this morning. Mr. Lin Yinskal, Liu Chi-wen, the Mayor of Canton, and other officials have fled to Hongkong.
Four military aeroplanes arrived here from Canton suddenly this morning. They landed at Kaitack, aerodrome and were delained by the] British, authorities.
'A. number of other aeroplanes from Canton are reported to have arrived here during the night and left for destinations unknown, General Wong told Reuter that the entire Canton Air Force departed thiel morning for Shiukwan, Northern Kwangtung, which is now the hands of troops commanded by General Vu Han-mou, Nanking's nominee for General Chen Chi-tang's posts, They are awaiting orders! there from the Central Government.
The Canton Air Force, declared General Wong, deprecates the idea of civil war and Is willing to support the Central Government to the ute most as long as it does not adopt a pro-Japanese attitude.
Reports that General Chen would resign were received late last night, from usually reliable sources Canton, which stated that he was Issuing' a manifesto on the subject, to-day.
Meanwhile, troops from Kwangsi continue to pour into Kwangtung with the evident intention of taking over control of the province, thereby forestalling any attempt by General Vu Han-mou to set up an administr tion.
Canton currency depreciated to 1,800 for 1,000 Hongkong notes this morning after earlier—appreciation {0 1,710 on continued rumours of an early liquidation of the situation—Reuter.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.