What might possibly have been turned into a nasty pocket area close t the British defence lines along the western perimeter was prevented yesterday, when French troops moved out from the Chiaotung University to the railway, o establish a roughly triangular zone under their control from the last British post at Hungjao Road down the railway to a point where the track crosses the Siccawei Creek and then along the creek to the Concession's southern boundary.
Meanwhile, General Tsai Ching-chung, director of the Police Bureau of Greater Shanghai, has been ordered by the military authorities to defend Nantao at all costs. Stating that his men were prepared to carry out this duty to the "last drop of blood," General Tsai said that strong defence works have been established in Nantao, and the Chinese police in that area are firmly resolved to stick to their posts in obedience to orders.
According to a survey of positions close to the border of the French Concession made late last night by the "North-China Daily News," the Chinese defending (Nantao have established a line which has as its extreme right flank the Siccawei Creek at a point just west of the intersection of Avenue Dubail and the Route de Zikawei, The Japanese front line has its extreme left flank that portion of the Creek opposite the end of Avenue clu Roi Albert.
Sporadic rifle and machine-gun fire could occasionally be heard in the "no man's land" between the two front lines late yesterday evening. Large fires broke out in: the area near Siccawei at 6 o'clock yesterday morning, to burn well into the afternoon. The houses involved were mostly straw huts. Chinese reports indicate that the fires were started by Japanese bombs aimed at Chinese troops retiring from the Soochow Creek area in the direction of Tsepoo.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.