For the larger part of yesterday, the sound of heavy gunfire not far from Shanghai was clearly audible over a large section of the Western District. The firing, chiefly heavy artillery fire, appeared to come from a line between Minghong and Sungkiang, where, in fact, Chinese guerillas have been active of late. One foreign report, however, suggested the firing might-have been near Tazang. Japanese official circles yesterday evening were unable to account for it, but suggested "it may have been target practice."
Residents of the Hongkew and Yangtszepoo districts also reported having clearly heard the sound of tensive anti-aircraft fire near Woosung, apparently emanating from Japanese warships, in the very early hours of the morning, The Japanese naval spokesman was also unable to account for this.
Motorists driving out into the Hungjao area, as well as residents all over the Western areas, reported hearing audible artillery "thuds" all morning and the greater part of the afternoon. Two members of the "North-China Daily News" staff also reported hearing artillery fire during the early afternoon, one from an apartment house in Avenue' Haig, near the girls' school, the other from the eastern end of Rue Paul Henri. Also present, after a lengthy absence, reported one motorist, were additional barbed wire barricades in Chungshan Road and in Lincoln Avenue.
'The Japanese spokesmen suggested, with' a smile, that the latter at least slowed down "fast drivers," but could give no explanation of their presence. They had heard that artillery practice was to take place near Shanghai "in the near future" and thought that this probably accounted for the reports of gunfire.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.