Recurrent rumours that Soviet aircraft soon would dart across China skies received their confirmation yesterday. According to reports made by Japanese naval fliers following action over Nanking and Chow-chia kow, Honan, on Monday, Soviet-built pursuit ships patterned after the American Boeing model, engaged the Japanese raiders, Domei learned from highly reliable sources, Similar Russian-built aircraft have been active in Spain.
The machines, capable of high speeds but reported to be unsteady, found their first engagement against the Japanese a difficult assignment.
Of the two Soviet machines that rose to give combat above. Nanking, one was shot down, Contrary to reports of Chinese origin, the pilot failed to bail out and crashed with his machine, His nationality could not be ascertained.
In the Honan engagement, the Soviet-built craft fared worse, Domei learned. All three, which were sent up to engage the Japanese, were shot dow!
Unconfirmed reports state that about 50 Soviet machines, including ten bombers, have been flown to various Chinese air bases across Kansu in recent weeks. age done.
Reports as to the establishment of a neutral or safety zone for refugees in Nanking were also conflicting last night. According to a Japanese report, the Tokyo Foreign Office had not been officially informed of the proposal Nanking messages stated that foreign embassies there had put the question to the Japanese authorities.
Reports of the capture of Wusih, the important Chinese stronghold on the so-called "second defence line" stretching from the banks of Taihu Lake to the Kiangyin forts, still lacked official confirmation yesterday morning, a Japanese military spokesman announced at a press conference at 10 o'clock.
Up to Monday afternoon, Japanese infantry had reached a point eight kilometres east of Wusih, according to official dispatches, he said.
Chinese troops, however, were seen retreating by Japanese aerial scouts from Wusih to Wutsin, also known as Changchow, the spokesman said.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.