Hongkong, Jan, 21, An attempt to land troops on the island of Hainan was made by some Japanese warships this morning but his, ike "the attempt "three days ago, failed due to the determined resistance put up by the Chinese troops and native population, it ik reported.
In view of the anticipated Japanese intention to advance on Canton, the problem of maintaining an open sea route to the south is becoming, acute, Despite repeated references to land connections between north-west China, and Soviet Russia, informed. circles attach only secondary importance to these, It is pointed out that a highway from Soviet Russia through Turkestan to Sian would be 240)
es long. Nor are the plans for a railway construction project for the [purpose of connecting Turkestan with the Chinese railway system, regarded ak feasible, especially at present.
These and similar considerations are causing China and the foreign powers to regard thy repeated Japanese attempts to vain a foothold Hainan with apprehension since this would put Japan in.a position to hamper commerce from the routh considerably,—Trans-Ocean.
Alarm in Paris Paris, Jan. 21, French official" circles' are once more concerned with the. Far Bast, reports from Canton regarding Japanese attempt to gain a footing on Hainan having caused considerable alarm here, The island is a strateically important point of communica tion with French Indo-China, Authoritative elreles refer to the Franco-Chinese agreement of 1800 by which China pledged herself not to cede the island to a third power, and to the Franco-Japanese treaty of 1007 by which both partners" pledged themselves not to alter the status Jquo of that island, Although the Japanese attempt failed, political circles here urgently demand that the French Embassy make representations to Tokyo. in order to obtain information regarding Jupanese intentions and to.-avoid more serious comptications.—eans-
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.