The note in full was, as follows: "Sir: The Japanese forces landed at a point south of Tungchow on the morning of March 17 and are now tacking the enemy along the north bank of the Yangtze River.
"Desiring that ships of neutral powers should be enabled, as far as possible, to avoid exposure to the dangers resulting from the above fighting, the (Commanding Officer of the Japanese Naval Unit operating in the above mentioned area hereby advises all neutral ships now in the danger zone located between Plover Buoy, Tungchow Channel and Cooper Crossing Lower Buoy, Cooper Bank, io refrain from navigating or anchoring in the said zone until further notice should be given by the undersigned that the danger is over; also to all neutral ships now in Tieng-sheng-kong Channel to the north of Ta-yao-chiang, to take refuge west of the north-south line passing through Lu-ching-chiang.
"Warning is therefore given hereby that any neutral ships navigating or anchoring in the above danger zone despite the above advice do so at their own risk, Respectfully yours, (Signed) REAR-ADMIRAL S. SONODA, C.O., Tungchow Area Unit, LIN.
Nantungchow is an important produce centre supplying Shanghai with vegetables and other food. ing out haunts of these Chinese stuffs, stragglers on the banks of the lake, according to a naval spokesman.
Advancing from the west, one column on Tuesday had proceeded to the south of Ningkwo, rail head of a spur line extending southeast from Wuhu.
From the east, Japanese forces, advancing from Hangchow, were engaged in rounding up stragglers in the Mokanshan area, while a column was nearing Liyang from the north, More than 200 Chinese were killed in a battle between a Japanese naval patrol and Chinese soldiers om about 10 large junks on Lake Tai. according to a naval spokesman.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.