Hongkong, June 24.
It is officially announced today that the Japanese Naval authorities in Swatow have agreed to the right of entry of British ships into the port of Swatow, to be effective from noon today. Mails, food and passengers can now be landed at Swatow, but no cargo.
"This decision will relieve anxiety regarding the food situation in Hongkong, which threatened to assume serious aspects with the closure of Swatow, from where the Colony Obtains a major part of its perishable foodstuffs.—Reuter, Heavy Fighting Close By Chungking, June 24.
The situation at Swatow continues to occupy the closest attention of Chinese political quarters here.
It is maintained in Chinese military quarters that severe fighting is still in progress in the vicinity of Swatow. Contrary to reports issued yesterday the opinion, is expressed here today that it was yet by no means certain whether the Japanese would be able to. hold the city ultimately. The Japanese, it is added, had already sent reinforcements in order to repel a counter attack launched by the Chinese forces.
The news of the refusal of the British and United States military authorities to comply with the Japanese request for evacuation of Swatow and the withdrawal of warships has been received with great satisfaction here.
The papers in Chungking today Once more emphasize that the occupation of Swatow by the Japanese constitutes a direct threat to British interests in southern China. It is therefore regarded as first indication of a firmer British policy in the Far East that the British naval authorities refused to recall the British destroyers row at Swatow,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.