Details. of the Russian Reximent hnd-alrendy been sent to the Central and" Louza Police Stations, and operations in these two districts started at 5.20 pin, Exactly at that hour, Mr. 'T. Robertson, " Assistant Comimissloner' of Police, telephoned from his ofice In Louza Station to the officers in charge of the two stations to send the Russians out to} reinforce Police search parties operating in blocks of Chinese houses near the southern boundary of the Louza distelct., Cordons were thrown about two areas In the southern por tion of Louza, where the search parles were engaged, and this practice sled about an hour.
Meanwhile, "A" Battalion was in] process of mobilization in the Con-Back at Wead-quarters a telephone suddenly tilled shylily. Major Barraclough was reporting the battalion. mobilized. and ready to swing into action, From the ear pool inthe Gymnasium lorries ere sent to the garage to transport Orders. were soon. forth-
Major Barraclough was to notify all police stations In the ares Of his locality and his telephone num ber, and awalt their instructions.
'Within a short while, lorries wore streaming away from' the Central Garage, "A" Company being hurried to the Central Station, "B* Company to West Hongkew station, and the Shanghai Scottish to the Louza Station; the other companies were held in. reserve at battalion. headquarters, Company and the Shanghai Scottish were soon given jobs of work to do, Including. the hosting of guards over native banks, and. patrolling the streets, Later, the Assistant Commissioner called for more troops, and Major Barraclough was placed in a quan dary, as this Would use up the companies he was holding in reserve, and Teave hin without any men under his control. From headquarters, how-for, came the order to send forward the troops required; the Commandant would replace them by the Corps Mobile Reserve, which was an imaginary one, but. which inthe event of any real trouble would consist of the Shanghai Light Horse, the American Troop (both dismount: ced and provided with lorries to make them a mobile unit), "C" GOG.) Company, and" the Armoured Car Company: This command practically signalled the end of the exercise.
Up, to a late hour, therefore, the" khakicelad "men of Bat-{alion of the S.V.C. were being rushed here and there to deal with imaginary incipient riots; some were sent to the Kashing and 'Tsepoo Roads district, where "B" and "C" Block: houses' are located; the Fokien Road Telephone Exchange was guarded by "a" detachment from. West Honykew: others were despatched fo an area opposite the Nanking Theatre, "and bounded by Avenue Edward VIL and Lungmen, Vu Ya Ching and Race Course roads: "Imperative to, stop crowds erossing South Bank" sent others to man the bridges spanning the Soochow Creek; the possibility of crowds from the samh sent "A" Company. to the Bund Gri front of the Hongkong Shaisghai Bank, the Chartered Bank, id the Ewo building, the large pane windows of which seemed to shiver at the thought of lieing the centre of attraction for a large and unruly mob, however imaginary); the native Bank area was wall-pected with sSenteies andthe Shavghal Scottish were te be seen cusroing the go some: ters: and plant. St tse northern end of Vu Ya Ching Rend, 'What made if look even more like thereat thing was' the: presence. of falety large crowds which gathered {o watch the Volunteers at their prac: tice, "A" few of them were ever Ted astray by the. grim sight of Axed Bayonets" and full marching equips ment. One Chinese, In patter, on Scelng a detachment of "volunteers our out of a lorry at the double, ex: Claimed. the Chinese equivalent' of "Trouble; tin off! and beat a hasty retreat, Others were reassured by the Chinese constables om duty in the sreeis, however, and stood" by to Watch the firn, forming' net though quite orderly. concomitant to the whole pierre.
Gommunieation" from battalion to S.V.C. hondquarters was all by" th lat lines, m0 special ines bee stalled with. the exception of one rom the 8.V.C. Exchange (0 the Commandants Oflce. A number of prefixed "Prucice" had been drawn up wel In advance, and. were. telephoned ducing the course of the evening. For instance." the atleers" comma "A" and "C™ Divisions of the Poll telephoned. in. several messages "Am Battalion "headquarters wi made-up Information. 10" the Fent situation; these were intended {o see whether the information iv Would get Uhouigh from battalion to Corps headquarters. a highly neces ary feature in case of real trouble, The Unit Cooke Special mention should be made of tne feld itehens. "About half-way through the evening. and. between manetuvres, the various. volunteer "Tits participating im the "exercise were given a litle supper from the cookers which accompanied them on forries to the various police stations The sight of one of these lorries travelling down the road, the "works™ concealed under n.clovecly-made canvas hood, and with smoke' belch: ting' forth from we tin' chimneys sileking up into the air. was enough to cause many n pedestrian to stand and marvel Once arrived at the Dollce™ station compounds, the Chinese cooks who manned the kitchens and. who were "all" clad in' nea white gowns and "echet™ caps, "sat a table er two and: prepared the 'Those at Corps Headquarters seem-be somewhat better off as the lining "room had been died Fation issue. room. and" the gym slum' was ged fora Suftel. accordance with the scheme for' the ebilzation of the Corps. "The Sess ing NEOS, and Supply Start went {houah he materi of eng 9 full Tight meal went out on the cookers, ay's supply, but actually "only.
consisting of tea or coffee and sous: fie and-mash—although one company. which made up in keeness. what Tacked in numbers, had managed. secure trish Stew by a process known only te hardened campaigners.
And. s0 the exercise came ends and. the volunteers: were. free {0 so home: lis results from 8 practi: faispelnt of view have yet to. be fide" publte," but "doubtless many Useful lessons were learned. by" the {uthortfes concerned. who. were Able to Judge from an acival practice the: good and bad features "of the resent ialgon scheme existing be: {ween the ShonghalVoluntesrs" and the Polls.
Tncidentatly, the Eaitoriat Ofice of the "Worth-china' Dally News" play-td te part in the scheme, "si though this was not an intended. feature of the practice: a number of telephone calls wore received "from "agitated residents demanding 0 know what the trouble was about and whether they' should standby. to. evacuate "or something's they' were all assured there was no heed for any wworry—the Volunteers were merely As a token of respect for the late Judge Milton D, Purdy, Judge Milton J. Hetmick, who is at present in south China and who was to have opened the US. Court for China in Canton on Feb. 17, was decreed that the Court, both in! Shanghai, Canton and elsewhere, be adjourned on that: day.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.