As Gen, Nishihara left on his mission in a last-minute effort to effect peaceful settlement, the Franco-'Japanese agreement signed here on September 22 was cancelled since it was considered that it could not be, put into effect properly.
The Japanese notified the French that they would launch a major attack and begin bombing Haiphong dawn, but the Indo-China and Kwangsi border was reported to be quiet " yesterday morning. Both French and Japanese troops,. however, continued to face each other.
The French were reported to have recaptured Dongdang. The Annamite troops were showing up well against the Japanese, border reports. said. The Japanese suffered heavy losses im their drive on Langson, an observer who returned from the border reported.
French artillery behind strong cement fortifications at Langson took a heavy toll of the Japanese, he said. Japanese bodies were piled along the Toads and the Japanese, who had time to remove the bodies, cut off the hands of the dead for identifeation by fingerprints later, he alleged.
French troops at all points have: been instructed not to fire on the Japanese unless the Japanese" fire first. Twelve Japanese bombers this morning flew over Haiphong in a threatening manner, but French antiireraft batteries held their fire. The Japanese did not drop any bombs.
Schools have been closed here and civilians were evacuating in accord-nese residents to depart gradually.—United Press.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.