Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-07-31
FOREIGNERS TOLD
TO FLEE WAR AREA
Governor Says He WI Not
Be Responsible for
Their Safety.
Continued From First Page)

NObIlbUlucO TIOHl EuSt EdSC.J
uncontrolled in absence of established
authority"
Five American sailors were wounded
as the crew of the United States gun
boat Palos successfully fought OF an at
tack of Chinese Communists near
Changsha yesterday. About so Com
rnunists were killed any many wounded
as the bluejackets returned to FIRE OF
the Reds, who raked the ship with
machine guns and rifles.
The Reds attacked from the banks
OF the Slang River as the Palos was
approaching the Communist-ravished
city to make a survey of the ruins.
Opening fire with 100 rifles and 1e
Machine guns the Communists show
cred the Palos with bullets.
Caught in close quarters and unable
70 turn back the PaloS brought her
3-inch rifles and machine guns into
action firing into the attackers at close
range.
Battle RACES an Hour.
The battle ragged for an hour before
the Communists were silenced. The
attackers had taken up positions be-
hind shacks and in underground along
the bank. Heavy fire was necessary to
The FIVE sailors received flesh wounds
only Although the Palos was hit
hundreds of times she was not materi-
ally damaged. Her steel arn1or plate
turned the Red bullets.
Commanded by Lieut.. Comdr. r. d.
Tisdale of Baltimore, the Palos, which
previously had helped to evacuate
foreigners from Changsha just before
the Reds oVerran the city, sought to
III, he u Ar
unexpected rise in the river enabled her
to get near the city.
The attackers were believed to be a
part of the Communist rear guard,
patrolling the northern border OF
Changsha on the lookout for possible
Chinese military opposition.
After the battle the Palos Withdrew
down the river to an installation Of the
Standard Oil Co. of New York, and was
moored. The Palos is one OF the six
of IL ships comprising the American
Yangtse patrol, headed by Rear
Admiral Thomas Craven.
Names of the sailors wounded were
not Immediately available,
Japanese press dispatches from Han
kow today said refugees arriving theirs
expressed the belief that some foreign
ers had been murdered when Com
rnunists ravished Changsha. The refu-
we're in the hands Of the Reds.
The Hankow refugees. all japanese,
stated the Communists also had abduct-
ed 300 wealthy Chinese merchants of
Changsha and were holding them for
ransom.
Another report said two Germans
had fallen into Communist hands.
Admiral Craven is in the vicinity of
Kiukiang seeking information concern
ir30 tho oVfnnt nf CoO1N7npicf Spnradq-
tons in Kiangsi Province. Unconfirmed
reports yesterday said Communists
have occupied Nanchang, Kiangsi and
we're viewing Kiukiang with envious
eyes.
No new fires we're reported today, but
numerous foreign properties to which
the torch had been applied still were
burning. Inspection of the city by for
eigners still was impossible because gum
beats could not approach within five
miles of Changsha. due to the low river
level.
Although foreign properties on the
Island opposite the city had been looted.
the majority of them were not burned.
The reds apparently had been anxious
to destroy Japanese property, having
burned the Japanese club there.
The Communists also looted and
burned the japanese consulate and the
japanese hospital on the mainland.
The British Jardine Matheson Steam
ship Co.'S wharves were burned last
night.
A slight rise in the river enabled
gunboats to reach the vicinity of the
Standard Oil and Shell OH properties
on the outskirts of the city, and 1t was
believed these would be saved unless a
receding river level forced the gun
boats TO withdraw again. The oil prop
eFtios are valued at about SS 0flO O00
each.
The foreign gunboats appreciably i'm
proved their positions as a result Of the
river rise and reached the environs of
the city.