From tHe "NonrH-CHINA Dairy News,"
or SEPTEMBER 20, 1877
The only news in the Municipal minutes is that the Council have agreed to purchase a strip of land to widen the Szechuen Road between the Canton road and the Yangkingpang. They have refused an offer to round the corner of Kiukiang and Szechuen roads, because the price aerial engagement of recent times. Admiral, asked is in excess of the assessed value. It Hasegawa states that the contemplated mass seems to us that, in laying down this as the attack on Nanking is designed to destroy the only basis on which they are prepared to treat, base of the military operations now being con-the Council practically shut themselves out of ducted by the Chinese forces in the Shanghai the market. It doesn't at all follow because a area. If the threat be carried out as described, certain value has been placed upon land for the Capital will have its defences fully tested. convenience of assessment, that is the value at This extension of aerial activity on both sides which it is to stand indefinitely in the market. is bringing fresh horrors and greater dangers To show the absurdity of the position, the to civilian life. Unfortunately neither the Council declined the other day to treat, except Japanese nor the Chinese airmen seem at the assessed rate of Tis, 1,500 a mow, for the to have been able to comply with the surrender of a corner off a piece of land for foreign Admirals' request that they should which they had themselves offered Tis, 2,00 a avoid flying over the French Concession mow as a site for a police station! Besides, and International Settlement. Shanghai on the portions which the Council require—Sept, 18 had a most unpleasant reminder of frontage and corners for the purpose of widen-that lack of restraint, Thus does aggression ing roads—are the very choicest of the plot, and breed reprisals and counter-reprisals in which not to be acquired at the average assessed rate third parties seem to be specially hapless of the block, even if this did represent the real sufferers. It was amazing that so comparatively market value. Reference is made to a report few casualties occurred when the anti-aircraft by the Inspector of Nuisance on the subject of fire sent shells widespread over the two, foreign scavengering. Apropos of this, and dri acareas. But the damage done to foreign procordance with the second clause of the Council's perty by incendiary bombs intended by the late notification, we commend to their attention Chinese airmen, apparently, for the Japanese a lake of fetid black mud at the back of the aerodrome and other concentrations, was con-Woosung Road in Hongkew, which is enough siderable, The military value of the raids was to give cholera to the whole neighbourhood, It slight. Nanking is now faced with so formidable belongs, we believe to a Chinese owner, Could a threat to its very existence that the requisite not an order be obtained from the Mixed Court, attention to considerations of this kind may not to have it filled in? be forthcoming. Again, therefore, is it perceived how uncontrollable are the forces of destruction when once they are' invoked. Tragically has that fact been overlooked by Japan no less than China in embarking on the present operations round so congested an urban area as this. In
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.