In spite of reports to the contrary, informed circles remain a little sceptical about Japanese plans to land a force at present in South China for an attack on Canton. From the more obvious quarters of approach, Canton is well defended, while from other sections, such as ISwatow and Amoy, landings and advances into the interior might prove an unnecessarily fsborious and dificult task, with the ultimate gains very much a matter of speculation. Amoy. itself, "according.to foreigners who recently visited the port, is three paris deserted. Whole streets of shops are closed, and the only persons be seen are police men and occasionally members of the Peace Preservation Corps. A [Japanese light cruiser ties outside the harknur fcntrance and keeps a sharp look-out on ships entering and leaving. 'There are few experts from Amoy except' fruits and vegetables. Swatow is in hardly better condition. There late very few troops to be seen in the eily. It thas "not suffered from the same amount of bombing as has Amoy. But trade has been very severely handicapped by the practically com-piete disruption of the Chinese shipping services into the interior. There is a highway into central Kwangtung from Swatow which has received the attention of Japanese bombers and is therefore far from popular with the average trader. As a result, exports from Swatow have diminished to such an extent thatthe port Jeannot seriously be reckoned as a gateway to lcommeree for the interior regions. There is no. froguiar Japanese patrol outside the port, and persons in the city are rot worried by the possibility of the Japanese using it asa landing. point for an attack on more central positions in the province,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.