A Chinese force was holding Nantao, the spokesman said. It was the intention of the Chinese commander to defend this area against Japanese attack, All the bridges on the Jihhuikiang Creek, which lead to Nantao, were destroyed.
The force defending Nantao consisted of both regular troops and members of the Chinese Police.
These troops were not originally stationed in the city, but were sent there after the new situation had developed, according to the spokesman. The number of troops was not large, however.
Regarding the civilian population still in the district now open to Japanese attack, the spokesman said every effort had been and was being made by the Chinese authorities to urge them to evacuate. As a matter of fact, he said, all those who could afford to evacuate had already done so, and there could not be a very large number of people remaining in the area As all forms of communication with Sungkiang were interrupted, the spokesman said, authentic reports regarding the situation there failing to reach him. It was, howe reported that fighting had been taking place to the south and west of Sungkiang.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.