Hankow, Jan. 15
Japanese aircraft were Extremely active around Hankow this: morning. cruising in the vicinity of this city for nearly three hours. As a result, the departure by air of the new Soviet Ambassador, M. iLuganets-Orelsky, for Chungking, originally arranged for to-day, was postponed.
As early as 645 this morning Japanese Planes were sighted crossing the border of Hupeh province and coming up-river in the, direction of Hankow.
After the air-raid alarm had roused the populace here from their warm beds and sent them scurrying to their dug-outs, the planes made for Hsiaokang, about 30 miles northwest of Hankow, near the Peiping-Hankow Railway, and bombed the city. The railway line near the city and the Chinese aerodrome located inside Hsiaokang are believed to have been the objectives, Hankow received its second fright at 830, when an "urgent" alarm was sounded following the appearance of Japanese aircraft in the vicinity.
None of the "planes, however, came within the city limits of Hankow. and the all-clear signal was given half an hour later.
Then, at 1010, the air-raid siren was heard for the third time in the morning when several Japanese planes were sighted near Hankow. They did not, however, attack the city, They only cruised around, apparently seeking to locate new aerodromes or other military objectives.
As a result of the activity of the Japanese air force, M. Luganets-Orelsky postponed his departure for Chungking, where he is scheduled to present his credentials to Mr. Lin Sen, Chairman of the National Government, on January 18. The Ambassador was to have travelled by air with the Counsellors and secretaries of the Soviet Embassy as well as with representatives of the Chinese Foreign Office, Hitherto, M. Luganets-Orelsky has not decided upon a new time for his departure—Reuter.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.