SEARCH by the Japanese naval authorities in Hongkew yesterday morning for a band of Chinese armed robbers pres cipitated a most rigorous and unprecedented severance of communication with the Settlement, with disruption of traffic not only in Hongkew, but areas bounding on the Soochow Creek bridges. The temporary detention of a member of the U.S. Fourth Marines, following an incident on the Fearon Road Bridge in which the "marine was manhandled, climaxed a hectic day which followed on the heels of the arrest of one of the robbers at 9.15 a.m- It was not until the afternoon that the bridges were reopened' and even then access to regions north of the Creek was extremely difficult. Suspension of traffic and searches, both by petrols and sentries posted
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