The resumption of navigation between Fukien and Shanghai is regarded in shipping circles as the pre-ludo to the lifting of the shipping ban for certain routes along the China coast by the Japanese naval authorities.
It was learned that an Italian shipping -congern 4s -operating- a- service between Shanghai and Sungmen which is near Ningpo,/as the crow flies. A boat of this company was reported to have left for Sungmen yesterday while another vessel is due to sail for the same destination today.
According to a Chinese report a German shipping company is doing a brisk trade in shipping between Shanghai and east Chekiang ports. After suspension of shipping between Shanghai and Wenchow for almost a month, a crowd of intending passengers thronged the office of the company a few days ago when it became known that passage could be obtained for a port near Wenchow. The port of destination is Ku Aou Tao which has been chosen as the terminal of the route since Wenchow is still barred to shipping, owing to Japanese naval operations. A boat of this company is due to leave for Ku Aou Tao today, it was learned.
Considerable difficulty in landing has been experienced by passengers to Wenchow and other ports still occupied by Chinese forces. Landing permits could only be obtained after the passenger has furnished suitable security or a guarantee from a shop in Wenchow that the visitor has a legitimate reason for landing. So suspicious have the local authorities been of strangers that even foreign members of a ship's crew cannot land without the proper permit.
While many shipping concerns have been preparing to resume the coastal service Japanese reports stated that the ban will be extended shortly to smaller ports which up to now have escaped the attention of the Japanese naval authorities, European Fumigators "BEWISE"
R. G. BEWEIS & CE,
388 ROUTE FRELUPT
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.