Japanese Advance Nearing Weihsien to West Tsingtao, Dec, 29.
With the Japanese threat to Tsingtao becoming more menacing every moment, many Chinese. employees have deserted their posts and evacuated the city.
Following the departure of the majority of his staff, the Postal Commissioner t appealed for volunteers to help to maintain the service. Many foreigners responded.
The Chinese staffs of many leading firms, including Butterfield & Swire and Jardine Matheson & Company: have also deserted, while three Chinese newspapers have been compelled to cease publication owing to the evacuation of their staffs.
Central Tsingtao, which usually seems with life, presents a forlorn picture. with the majority of Chinese shops and banks closed and very few people seen on the streets, All foreign "shops in the district, however, are remaining open.
The city is now under heavy police guard, while the Chinese authorities have imposed a strict censorship on wireless and cable communications,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.