Amoy, Aug. 26.
Amoy is still a dead city cut off from all communication with the mainland. While food supplies are smuggled through the Chinese lines to Kulangsu, none come to Amoy. Fruit and vegetables, fowls and eggs, may be purchased in Kulangsu although the price of these is, higher than formerly. Daily at sunrise and sunset "heavy artillery shell Sensoo, the trunk road terminus-on the mainland opposite Amoy, and the surrounding coast line is held by Canionese troops; the other side is garrisoned by the sist Division.
Many attempts have been made by ihe Japanese to land troops on the mainland, but not one has been successful. These efforts, however, have never been made on a very large scale. Five hundred men went to waiting for boats to take them over. The Japanese asked why they went to.the other side in the pouring rain; why did they not stay in Amoy? One and all, men and women, shook their heads; they would not remain on any account whatever. Amoy appeared to them as a city accursed, not to be stayed in. That is the general feeling. The death rate among the refugees and the people has been rising daily. A new clean city lies just over the way, but they refuse to sleep in it, And yet no open antagonism is expressed. It seems to be a deep, silent sub-conscious determination to bear all and to suffer all, but to have nothing to do with their conquerors. Death does not seem to make the slightest difference to their dour instinctive, but inarticulate, resolution.
Sensoo in motorboats under cover of a firework display at Amoy but failed to obtain a footing. The Chinese soldiers are vigilant, and barbed wire encircles every favourable landing place, but without doubt a landing could be forced if the attempt were to be made with sufficient men and if the price were to be paid for it. Within the last week reinforcements from Formosa were landed at Amoy and also vast military stores and tanks and it is possible that something may be brewing in this direction, No soldiers are stationed in the city at present and only a few sailors are here to defend it. The soldiers have been withdrawn to the other side of the island facing the mainland. On this side lies the main road to the northern military headquarters at Chuanchow, which is situated about halfway between Amoy and Foochow. For quite a considerable time artillery has been heard bombing in this direction and after sunrise every morning machinegun fire has also been heard.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.