Shanghai, May 8, CCORDING to a Domei message from Hongkong yesterday, General Chiang Kai-shek, together with his wife and high military advisers, left Chungking for Chengtu by air on Saturday, abandoning the capital which was severely bombed by Japanese aeroplanes: last week, The message added that in the party, which consisted of three transport planes escorted by 24 fighting planes, was Sir Archibald Clark Kerr, the British Ambassador. This report could not be confirmed in Shanghai yesterday where no such information regarding the British Ambassador had been received by British official sources, while telegrams from Chungking as late as eight o'clock last night made no reference to General Chiang's departure.
The Domei message stated that the party arrived at Chengtu at noon on Saturday but a Reuter telegram declared that both General and Mrs. Chiang were active personally inspecting relief work in Chungking up to a late hour on Saturday night.
'The Domei message, quoting a Chengtu report, added' that accom~ panying the party was Mr. John Tohourdin, the Ambassador's private secretary, who was injured in Thursday's raid, Others in the party were said to be Gen. Ho Kuo-kuang, direc for of the Generalissimo's Chengtu Headquarters; Gen. Chen Cheng, chief of the Chinese General Staff; Gen. Chien Ta-chun, and Gen. Chen Pu-lei, Immediately after his arrival, Gen. Chiang proceeded with Gen, Chen Cheng to the Military Academy where he convened a conference of 'D. high Szechuen military—leaders, Attending were reported to be Gen. Teng Hsi-hou, Gen. Pan Wen-hua, Gen, Wang Tsuan-chu and others.
The Domei report added that the meeting was convened to discuss plans for the wholesale transfer to Chengtu from "Chungking of the Nationalist party and military organs. coincidence, Mr. Smith, an Englishy man, who' bad accompanied Mr. Welggle on many bombing expeditions when they were both members the International Volunteer Squadron, but who were separated when the Squadron was disbanded, arrived in Chungking on the very day of Mr. Welggle's death, He had come by car from Hunan, expecially {fo see his old "shipmate." Me. Welg~ Ble had many friends among foreign circles here, Anxiety over another foreigner was allayed today, when Mrs. Chin, a Russian woman, who is connected with the Broadcasting Station here, was found, after a three-day search fon the South bank of the Yangtze, opposite Chungking, She is said to be suffering from shock. Mrs. Chin, who ig married to a Chinese, was reported missing on Thursday.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.