Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1932-02-03
JAPANESE BOAT SUNK.
Destroyer Sent to Bottom of Whangpoo
in Fight on Fort.

Destroyer Sent to Bottom of Whangpoo
in Fight on Fort.
SHANGHAI, February LP.-Chinese
guns from the fort at Woosung sent
japanese destroyer to the bottom OF the
WhangpoO River, Chinese headquarters
here announced tonight
Further than that the announcement
said the Chinese garrison still heIo the
fort despite raking fire from japanese
warShipS in the river.
The Japanese opened fire apparently
without warning and announced atter
q brief bombardment that the Tort mao
been destroyed and that they saw no
signs of life in it.
British soldiers on troop ship pass
ing I'D the river said, however, that the
fort had returned the fire and that II
was only by good luck that the troop
ship was not struck by one side or the
otner.
Shells Close to U. S. Ship.
Dud shells fell near the U. S. S. Par
rott, a destroyer tied up alongside the
Texaco oil barge in the Whangpoo. 9th
ers dropped close to the oil storage
tanks of the Texaco Co. and in the
property of the BritiSh-owned Asiatlc
Petroleum Co. on Cough Island.
Another report said japanese air
planes flew over the area tonight ana
bombed a Chinese Oil storage plant near
the fort setting 1t afire.
Chinese headquarters said the fort
repulSed an effort to put ashore a land
ing party from the destroyers, and In
addition to sinking one OF the craft
scored damaging hits on two others.
At the same time the japanese naval
tnA
THE fort had been reduced to a pile OF
scrap iron and that more than score
of the defenders had been killed in the
ffve-hour bombardment.
Severe Fighting Renewed.
At nightfall the Japanese put out TO
sea and the Chinese indicated that they
expected the attack would be renewed.
The most severe battle since the out
break of hostilities at Shanghai ragged
as the japanese land forces and air
planes delivered another smashing at
tack on Chapel while the Japanese
warshipS rained shellf1re on the forts
Is miles away.
The United States cruiser Houston
flagship of the Asiatic Fleet, arrived in
the river just in time for the battle.
The Houston. which carried a landing
party of 500 American Marines, was
warned not to proceed directly to
Shanghai, but to stay down the river
beyond the forts to avoid entering the
line Of fire.
Afterward the cruiser moved up the
river to Shanghai and tied up before
the city.
The fire upon the forts was directed
from the guns of six japanese destroy
ers. 1t covered landing party of blue
Jackets sent to occupy the Chinese forth
fications. While it was going on Jap
anese airplane bomberS roared over the
Chapel district of Shanghai, scene of a
bloody slaughter and destructive fire
last Friday, and rained down bombs
which resulted in fresh fires in num-
Der Of areas.
The Japanese Navy Department at
Toxic said this afternoon that the
bonbardment was not started until the
fort fired on Japanese warships in the
Whangpoo.
The fort at Woosung," said the
official statement, opened fire on the
26th Japanese Destroyer Squadron
which was on the way out. The squad
ron replied to the fire. SeaplaneS and
another destroyer squadron joined In
the counter attack"
Observers who watched the battle
from a distance said the area was
Veritable inferno. At the same time
japanese machine gunners directed
STEADY stream of fire into the concen-
trations Of the Chinese defenders in the
Chapel section. Great clouds of smoke
rose over the area where the Chinese
troops battled desperately.
In the middle of the afternoon Jap
anese Consul General Mural informed
the American and British consuls gen
eral that the Japanese were occupying
wooSung.
Airplanes Join Fight.
Shells fired from Chinese artillery in
the Chapel sector fell in the Japanese
Headquarters near Hongkew Park, In
the grounds of a boys school ana on
the road leading to a rife range, out
they failed to explode.
Late in the afternoon Japanese air
planes Joined the terrific bOmbardment
of WoOsung forts, and a bombardmenC
was also begun on the forts OF Poochan.
Observers believed that the two fortS
were doomed to destruction and feaTS
were entertained for TIE safety OF the
cable heads of the Eastern and Com
mercial Pacific Cos, which are situated
between them. The Great Northern
cable head is located about mile south
of the WOOSung Notifications.
There were reports that the japanese
warships in the river were landing
nearly a full division of soldiers at a
considerable distance from Shanghai
and were shelling Chinese reinforce
ments advancing along the railway
from WOoSung.
Marines to Land Tomorrow.
The battle was carried into the north
ern half of the HOngkeW section as a
result Of Japanese attempts to stif1e the
activities of SniperS there following the
outbreak of machine gun fire along the
northern boundaries Of the sector.
The firing continued with great in
tensity at o'clock The aiplaneS
which bombed Chapel during the mid
afternoon we're withdrawn. The Japa-
nesc began throwing up new line OF
machine guns further in the interior OF
Hongkew, up to within two blocks OF
the postoflce and Soochow Creek.
The Chinese forces, either Snipers or
troops, by that time were believed to
have reached the north boundary OF
the Settlement and possibly to have
pushed slightly inside the border. Three
serious fires were burning within the
area.
The United States Marines, now
aboard the cruiser Houston in the river,
are expected to land tomorrow.
British Troops Land.
The second battalion of Argyll and
Sutherland Highlanders, comprising 800
officers and men, landed from the Brit
ish cruiser Berwick and marched from
the customs. ietty along Marking road,
which was crowded with masses of Chi
nese. At that time Japanese planes
were bombing Chapel and there was
continuous roar of bursting bombs and
rafting machine guns.
Two "dud" shells fell on the property
Of the British-owned Asistic Petroleum
Co., on Nough Island IN the Whangpoa,
halfway between Shanghai and Woo
sung.
They fell just clear Of the oil tanks,
but it could not be determined imn1e-
mr.