Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-04-07
TROUBLE BREWING
At HANKOW, HOUGH
| REPORT INDICATES
Japanese Assemble Five VeS-
5 sells to Protect Citizens
on Yangtze.
COAL FAMINE MAY DETER
EVACUATION OF ALIENS
Foreigners Concentrated on
Waters Edge, Americans Spend
Nights on Ships.
NJ .ba Associated Press.

Bs the Associated Press.
Foreboding conditions at Hankow
more than 200 miles above Mankins
on the winding Yangtze River
shared the center of interest in de-
velopments in China today with the
attitude to be taken by the Moscow
government over raids by Chinese
authorities at Peking of Russian
property within the diplomatic com
pound.
Rear Admiral Hough, commander
of the Yangtze patrol, reported tht
situation at Hankow as very bad
while another message apparently
from him, but transmitted to WASH
ington from Minister MacMurray al
Peking, said that the japanese were
preparing to defend their conces-
sions at that city. This dispatch
reported that a japanese naVa
force of two cruisers, four destroy
ers and a gunboat had beeen as
sembled there.
Shortage of Coal Felt.
The admiral also disclosed g new
probIem in the evacuation of Amer
leans from cities along the upper
stretches of the river due to short
age of coal. This dispatch reached
the Canital about the time the snip
ming Board announced that it has
authorized r. Stanley Dollar, vice
president OF the Dollar Steamship
Lines, to divert both passenger and
cargo ships operated by that company
from their regular schedules TO ac-
commodate Americans in their evacu-
alton of China and return to the
United States.
Aside from this, officials manifest
anxiety over conditions along the
Yangtze and conferences continued
over various aspects presented in the
evacuation of the refugees. The &C
ton OF the Shipping Board, it was ex-
plained. came after Mr. Dollar had
advised that a deviation from ship
schedules would be necessary to ac-
commodate refugees. He said nls
company also was ready TO undertake
any transportation Of troops or sup
plies.
Fuel Running Low.
While the Dollar ships will touch
only at deeper water ports the inJec-
tion Of a coal shortage adds another
to the many problems already con-
fronting evacuation OF refugees from
the upper Yangtze. Admiral Hough
said that owing to strikes and LABOR
disturbances, fuel for the smaller
river craft, which are all coal burn-
ers, was running low.
Should it become necessary to
order the craft from the upper river
on this account, a serious problem
would arise in carrying the refugees
to ports where they might embark
for the United States.
Admiral Hough said that plans for
recalling the craft were being con.
sidered, as it did not appear that coal
was available at Shanghai for shipment
into the Yangtze area. This prospec
tive shortage, however, viii not afecl
desfroyers or other naval vessels OF
heavier type which are oil burners.
Foreigners at Waters Edge.
In speaking Of the condition al
TJankow. the admiral said that the
.Japanese had been evacuating theil
concessions since the recent riot, anc
that foreigners generally were con
rentrating close to the waters edge
1lnder protection Of warships. From
this noint, he reported, they could bf
taken aboard upon short notice.
a dispatch from Consul Genera
T,octharT also said that more thar
100 Americans remaining at HankoN
were spending the nights aboard the
vessels, while Admiral Hough indl
Gated that he was preparing to order
Americans to remain aboard the shlp'
unless the tension should relax.
Meanwhile the State Department
confiuued TO withhold information al
to the status of demands TO be made
upon the Cantonese from the Nankinf
outrages, although it is known tina
the definite decision not to submit th'
demands in the form Of an ultimatun
has been reached.
Vigorous agitation for a genera
strike continues in Shanghai, eVel
though no serious labor troubles hay
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