Evening star., 1932-03-01
Attempt Is Made
to Blow Up
Warships.
BLAST SHAKES
ENTIRE CITY
Furious Fight Fol
lows Arrival of
$4,000 Troops.
by the Associated Press.

by the Associated Press.
SHANGHAI, China, March L.
Hammered by the new strength
bf Japan's fresh storm troops, the
Chinese line in the Kiangwan
sector gave way and fell back foot
by foot, covering the retreat with
machine-gun fire.
The whole japanese line along
the entire battle front between
Kiangwan and Miaochungchen
was Strengthened out and head
quarters reported the attack had
succeeded along a one-mile front.
The Chinese were retreating
southwark in the direction OF
Chapel.
At one cross road, which has been
under heavy fire for several days, the
advancing Japanese reported they had
found more than 200 Chinese dead.
1900 More Troops Arrive.
Their own casualties for the day were
not given.
Backed up by $4,000 reinforcements
who landed here during the last 36
hours. the Japanese early this morning
began q tremendous assault along the
whole front. They used artillery, air.
planes, machine guns and squadron
of tanks in the tremendous push. which
Toxic expected to defeat the Chinese
sooner than League Of Nations peace
proposals could become operative.
A terriffic explosion which shook the
entire City of Shanghai without being
clearly heard, took place when two
mines blew up close by two Japanese
warships in the Whangpoo River. IN
llabitants of the international Settle
ment rushed into the streets, scream
ing that an earthquake, something
which happens in Shanghai only once
in decade, had struck.
Battle Casualties Heavy.
The Japanese lines struck with a
fury unknown heretofore In the con-
flict, their tanks dashing backward and
forward like maddened monsters. They
said they had achieved an advance OF
more than mile.
The claim was made from the newly
established headquarters of Gen. Yo-
shinori Shirakawa at the Kungdah
Cotton Mil. just outside the eastern
extremity of the Settlement.
More than 700 wounded Chinese
were brought back from the front lines
into the crowded Settlement hospitals
Up to late this afternoon, and the am
balances continued a steady trek to and
from the battlefields
Late tonight the rumble Of artillery
IRE and the cracks Of the rifles still
set up q terrific din along the entire
front. As evening approached the FIR
ing was concentrated on the Chinese
left wing, south of Kiangwan. A spokes-
man for the japanese intimated that
their casualties also had been very
heavy. A japanese colonel and cap
tain. he said, were killed by machine
gun fire in assaulting Chinese trenches.
The fruitless attempt to blow up two
WarshipS resulted in an afternoon OF
terror for the International Settlement.
Warships Not Damaged.
Two powerful mines exploded near
The flagship Idzumo and the Japanese
cruiser OF and caused hundreds OF
dwellers in the International Settle
ment to rush from their homes scream
ing Earthquake" But when the
shouting was over the WarshlpS were
found to be unharmed.
The explosions rocked buildings
throughout the city. Shortly after they
happened a party of Japanese sailors
left the flagship in an armed launcn
proceeded a short distance down river
and arrested six Chinese in two sam
pans, accusing them Of being connected
with the explosion.
AS a result of these developments 1t
seemed likely that the japanese battle
front would be extended to include the
surface and the depths Of the Whang-
20, which yesterday was declared IN
ternational water, following a request
of the powers that the Idzumo be re-
moved from there.
The mines were time" blasts, ac-
cording to naval officials aboard the
1dzumo. They were not close enough
to do damage, officials said, although
they caused great excitement aboard
both warships. Oficials said the ships
would not change their location.
The shocks caused great consterna-
ton among the huge population OF the
business district of Shanghai, where
the buildings were filled with office
workers, the streets crowded and clubs
hlled with foreign business people dur
ing the lunch hour.
The mines apparently were laid deer
in the river, although directly in the
center of the stream, through which
shipping from all parts of the world
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