Evening star., 1937-12-22
INTERIM REPORT
ON PANAy MADE
Toxic Claims Americans
May Have Received Stray
Machine Gun Bullets.

TOXIC, Dec. 22.-The foreign Of
flce, in what 1t called an interim re-
port" on sinking Of the United States
gunboat Panay by japanese planes,
declared today Japanese surface boats
were machine Chinese al the
time 'and there might have been
stray bullets flying toward the Panay"
from these surface boats.
The report declared also that the
japanese flyers, who sank the gun
boat in the Yangtze River above
Nanking, also bombed japanese troops
and killed two soldiers despite the
fact the troops waved 10 Japanese
flags.
1T has been reported that when
the Panay was bombed army launches
nred on the gunboat and also that
japanese soldiers boarded the Panay,"
the statement said.
japanese military authorities have
done everything in their power to
ascertain the facts regarding the Incl
dent. Unfortunately, various army
units are scattered over wide area
and means Of communication are
inadequate so investigations have
been delayed.
Probe Is Progressing.
investigations still are progressing,
conducted by military authorities on
the spot in cooperation with a staff
officer Of imperial headquarters who
was dispatched from Toxic after the
incident"
The report continued:
SO far it is established that JAP
anese soldiers boarded the Panay with
friendly intentions. but no evidence
was discovered showing the ship was
the target of intentional shooting.
At approximately 2 pm, December
IL. a certain unit of motor launches
left TAPPING for Pukow In the
course of the journey downstream. two
launches, acting as scouts, met at
point below TAPPING five steam ves-
sells which they judged were being used
by Chinese troops and accordingly re-
turned to report the discovery to their
main unit
"On receipt Of this report the entire
unit landed on the right bank of the
river. While watching they sighted
japanese naval aircraft bomb the
aforementioned group of vessels. The
distance between the ships and the
army unit then was about 1000 meters
tabout a mile).
Ordered Care Of Wounded.
To- 10, 4
from the first ship being carried to-
ward the shore Immediately after
the second bombing commander
approached the ship and discovered
it was American. Thereupon he I'M
mediately ordered his men to care
for the wounded who were carried to
shore. Two japanese commanders
were discussing the situation when a
third bomb dropped in the vicinity"
The foreign Office declined to say
whether the interim report" would
serve as reply or as basis for reply
to American notes protesting the at
tack on the Panay.
The report said:
"A commander then ordered 10
soldiers to wave Japanese flags in
order to make the airmen cease
bombing. The latter failed to recog-
nize the signal and continued to
bomb the ship which finally caught
fire. There were casualties among
the Japanese (two dead, three
wounded, including a commander).
1t later was discovered another YES
sci which was sinking near the left
bank of the river also was American.
Another commander sent 10 men and
an officer for rescue work
The officer and one man boarded
her for minute or two: failing to
find any one aboard. they left imme-
diately. Ut was later found this vessel
was the PanayD
Steamer Fleeing Scene.
"At the same time there was small
steamer 0ater found to be the Chinese
ship Linta) with IA or Is Chinese
soldiers aboard fleeing the neighbor-
hood of the incident.
Although the distance from the
steamer was about 300 meters (about