At Sanho, also along the same channel, the spokesman declared, a group of from 40 to 50 junks was Seen anchored. When the Japanese patrol approached, they all left for upstream points, shouting thanks at the Japanese ship. This, the spokesman stated, indicated that these junks had been held there by guerillas under threat, The fact that guerillas were obtaining war funds by taxing produce going aboard foreign ships, couple with the likelihood that they were obtaining supplies from those vessels, made it imperative for the Japanese forces to close the channel until such elements had been driven away, the spokesman said. There was also the danger of third-party ships getting caught between cross fires.
A Japanese landing party, tke spokesman continued, had engaged in combat a strong Chinese troop of regulars near Kowan on Tuesday. The Chinese were put to flight abandoning 11 dead. The Japanese force also sustained "some casualties."
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.