At the Japanese press conference yesterday afternoon, both the army and navy spokesmen stated that they had no information with regard 10 the incident. The Embassy spokesman stated that he also had details of the incident, but had received information thata British chip had been held up off Tsungming Island by the Japanese for the pur-ose of searching the Chinese passengers, and making sure that they were not carrying arms. While the Japanese search party was on board the ship, he stated, one of the Chinese passengers produced a pistol and almed a shot at a member of the party.
Another incident involving @ Brit-Ish craft occurred on the night, of Apr. 26, when the Shanghai Tug & Lighter Co's tug Alexandru was ordered to heave to off Woosung by a Japanese armed picket boat. She was board~ fed by Japanese army offers, and her skipper was informed that if 0 military pass were not procured for the tug, she would be seized, and her cargo confiscated, The tug was then allowed to go on her way. Representations have also been lodged by the British with the Japanese naval and consular authorities with regard to this incident.
Japanese miliary authorities here late. yesterday afternoon ordered the miliary command at Tsunming Island to release the 85. Tungwo, detained off Haimen Island" the previous night, The order was issued following negotiations between Mr. Shinrokuro. ftidaka and Herbert Philips, Consuls-Gen eral here for Japan and Great Britain." In announcing the Issuance of the orders Mr. Hidaka. revealed' that. because of darkness the. ship. may: not be released until carly" this releasing the vessel, the Japanese authorities requested lat the British authorities con duct an inquiry into the report that a Chinese aboard the ship had fred upon Japanese troops.
Foreign "ships "were. simul. taneously asked to refrain from Approaching Haimen slond, in lew of the mopping-up operas tions being carried on int thet area by the Japanese Army. amy units, The ofter in a informed the Victorias captain ist Japanese pastes were necessary, Doth for the ship and for any curio of Dassengers carried. We ated, tore:
over, that the pasies had to be those the dopanese Army. or Navy, oad that a Japanese Consular posy would nol be sufclent Chinese Troops Further complicating the sudden HMS, Cricket, gunboat, to investi- turn in' the situation, the Italian operated and owned' s. Sandro Sandri, was yesterday added to the ships {urned back from the Haimen ports on the north bank of the Yangtze opposite 'Tsungming Island, 'This time, however, the orders to Feturn were not "given by the Japanese but by Chinese troops. in. Chinglungkong port, who were apparently engaged ina shooting affray' with Japanese units on the Island op-'The Sandro Sandri was not allowed to come alongside or to discharge her cargo and passengers, ccording to a report made on her return to Shanghai, Tungwo Arrives Apr. 29, Released by the Japanese military at Tsungming Island on April 27-after Urgent representations by the British consular and naval authorities,"the Jardine's s. Tungwo arrived at the Peking Road Jetty yesterday morning.
She was released only after Mr. Herbert Phillips, H.Mt. Consul-Ger eral, and Commander R. A. B. wards, Senior British Naval Omcer in Shanghai, had paid "personal calls, on Mr. S. Hidaka, Japanese Consul-General," and Admiral Hasegawa, urging the immediate release of the British ship, Meanwhile, the Brit-HAMS. Cricket, " was] land by,.ready to proceed to the scene and investigate should the Tungwo still be detained, but her presence was rendered necessary due (0 the fact that the Tungwo was released soon after the strong representations were made, 88, Victorla's Experience.
Enquiry Held The s. Victoria, also owned by the Shanghai Tug & Lighter Ca,, was boarded by Japanese on the afternoon of April 26 and ordered to return to Shanghai. The small tender, which has been running since early" in January carrying cargo and pas-tengers from Yangtze River ports to Shanghai, was stopped by a. former RIK. line river vessel, on the baw of which a gun had been mounted, and which was manned by Japanese As soon as the ship reached port yesterday, she was boarded by Mr. 'A. G. N. Ogden, British consul, and Commander Edwards, who held an enquiry Into the incident. Details of the enquiry were being held over yesterday until they lad been fully "studied," but it is understood that am oficial statement on the subject will be made today by the British consular and naval authorities, From unofficial circles, it is learnt!
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.