Nanking, Aug. 2.
[ANY indications pointing 10 the possible expansion of Sino-Japanese hostilities reached Nanking to-day, these including the closing of several Japanese consulates up the Yangtze and the evacuation of Japanese nati jonas from several points in the interior.
In anticipation of a possible air raid upon the capital, "the police authorities in Nanking are making house to house visitations in order to instruct the Confirmation of the northwé population in air raid precautions. ard movement through Tsinanful of Central Government troops, consisting mostly of Hunanese units, reached me from two independent foreign sources. to-day. It is believed here that these forees are halting for the present at Tehchow.
Presumably in view of the possibility of hostilities being extended to Shantung, the American Consul at Tsinanfu has advised all American women an¢ children in the interior of the province to proceed either to Ts jinanfu or to Tsingtao, Chinese oficial despatches stated that at 8 o'clock this morning six Japanese aeroplanes bombed the Chi nese positions inthe Nankow Pass, near the Great Wall, north of Pei~ ping. Holt an hour ater, a further ten machines brought machine-guns Into action in addition to dropping a number of bombs, 4 Following the air raid, the despatches stated, a mixed Japanese force of infantry and cavalry made several assaults upon the Nankow positions, but these attacks we being successfully resisted, by the Chinese defenders, Japanese military headquarters are situated, This "operation ts regarded as "possible, if not probable" by local Papenose: miliary circles: who claim that "Chinese aircraft have. begun ving Information in their possession
moving north to various temporary beses in Shantung and southern Hopel, Japanese aerial scouts to-day reted that Chinese Central troops engaged in digging trenches in the vicinity of Paoting., Bombing operations by Japanese squadrons al
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.