The British acknowledgement, therefore, is likely to make certain reservations about the acceptance of this explanation and say that, while noting the Japanese interpretation of the incident, the British Government prefers to rely on its own report, It is stressed, however, that any forecast of the nature of the British acknowledgement can only be confectural at this stage, as Mr. Eden has not yet had time to consider it fully.
Meanwhile, it is learned in oficial circles that the British Government notes with satisfaction that Japan's apologies and other statements regarding the Wuhu incident, cover the attacks on merchantmen as well as Full Story of Incident Comes to Light After anchoring off [Kowan for several days on her way down river, H.M.S. Cricket, the gunboat which was bombed by Japanese aircraft up river from Nanking on December 12 arrived in Shanghai yesterday, tying up alongside HUM.S. Folkestone. She was escorted through the gap in tha Kiangyin boom by a Japanese destroyer, which flashed to her a mès-sage of goodwill as the gunboat steamed away down river. The Cricket, it is understood, has come down to pick up the British Consul in Nanking, Lieutenant-Colonel Lovat-Fraser, the British Military Attache, and Dr. G. Rosen, of the German Embassy staff, She will leave early in the New Year on her journey back to the former Chinese capital.
'A detailed account of the shelling and bombing of the British shipping concentration above Nanking on December 11 and 12 was obtained by a "North-China Daily News" reporter soon after the gunboat arrived in port. On December 11, H.M.S. Scarab, with the Flag-Captain of the Yangtze Patrol aboard, H.MS. Cricket, the s. Whangpu, the s. Watung, the s. Tsingtah, the A.P.C. s. Tien Kwang, Jardines hulk with many British residents of Nanking aboard, in ad-Gition to a quantity of British property, the tug Shunwo, and the three Socony lighters involved in the Panay bombing, the s. Meian, Peiping and Meihsia, were all anchored in the safe anchorage close to Nanking. Heavy firing had been heard coming from the right bank of the civer from dawn onwards, and continued. through the forenoon.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.