Shanghai, July 12, 1 reply to the British protest sent in connection with the witing-off by the Japanese military forees in Chapei of three Brilish-owned factories, situated on the North bank of the Soochow Creek, has been received from the Japanese authorities, the "North-China Daily News" was informed yesterday. Although two of the factories were working yesterday, the waterfront jetties in front of the buildings, along wh ich ran several strands of barbed wire were deserted. A short distance away, however, junks were loading goods from a jetty in front of a Japanese-operated mill where there was no sign of any barbed wire.
The three factories concerned are the China Car & Foundry Ca. the Zoong Zin'g Cotton Mill "and the Chung Tah Cotton Mill, alt of which are Under British control. ported in the "North-China Daily News" on July 10, when first news the latest Japanese action in Chapel was published, a protest was lodged by the British Consular "authorities against the denial of access to the jolties in front of the Arms' buildings Major Hunt, Liaison OMcer, opel negotiations with the Japanese authorities on the afternoon of July 10 and was informed by them that there was absolutely no question of dis crimination against the companies because "they were British-owned, According 10 these authorities, the wiring-off was part of a general scheme to wire the whole North bank of the Soochow Creek for some considerable distance so as to prevent the infiltration into the Western areas of the Settlement of undesirable characters who, previously, hed cross fed by means of the creek.
"North-China Dally News" reporter, who visited the China Car Foundry Ca. and the Zoong Zing Mil yesterday, however, discovered. that the barbed wire atthe present time only extends in front of the British property and for some distance past the British property where there are no other mills, Near the China Car Foundry Ca. is a large mill over which the Japanese lag fies but, 0 far, this has not been included the general scheme to wire off the North bank of the Creek.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.