At the outset of the present Sino-Japanese conflict, refugees rushed to the settlement areas, carrying with them most of their- possessions, while bands of lawless elements profited by the confusion to rob in the vicinity of the foreign settlements, and often were a real menace to the outlying districts. Troops again were called to face the situation, and experienced alarms nearly day, while the anti-aircraft played havoc over the Concession.
The necessity and wisdom of the drastic steps taken to enforce the last-mentioned measure need no comment or explanation to any one who remembers "Bloody Saturday," of August 14 when over a thousand people lost their lives and hundreds were wounded when two aerial bombs were dropped at the corner of Boulevard de Montigny and Avenue Edward VIL
At the outset of the conflict, the burden of defence of the Concession was borne by the police and the reduced garrison, but as the hostilities developed, the task proved more and more difficult for the small band of defenders, and reinforcements were hurriedly rushed from Indo-China.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.