Evening star., 1937-12-14
New Clash flinders
Ships Taking 81
Aboard.
REFUGEES STILL
NOT CONTACTED
Troop Withdrawal
is Sought by
Rescuers.
BULLETIN.

BULLETIN.
SHANGHAI, Dec. Is We'd
nesday) P). The known
death toll from the bombing
of the United States GunbOat
Panay and three other Ameri-
can steamers increased to four
today when the badly burned
body of an unidentified sea-
man was found.
BY the Associated Press.
SHANGHAI, Dec. 14.-Refu-
gees from the bombed United
States gunboat, the Panay, were
imperiled again today by a clash
between Japanese and Chinese
troops around Hohsien, hinder
ing rescue efforts of foreign naval
vessels on the Yangtze.
1t had been expected it would be
possible to begin taking the So sur
vivors aboard the United States gun
boat Oahu and the British gunboat
Bee late today, but the new outbreak
OF flghting interrupted plans.
The two gunboats, along with the
japanese ship, Hozu, were lying at the
mouth of creek entering the Yangtze
at Hohsien, about As miles up the
river from Marking.
Seek TO Contact Refugees.
Naval rescue parties were last
reported trying to make contact with
the Panay refugees, on their way from
Hanshan. some 20 miles inland,
toward the river town. bearing their
two dead and eight seriously injured.
Neither the Oahu nor the Bee re-
ported the refugees had reached Hoh-
Sien tonight.
An attempt was made to induce the
japanese to withdraw from the area
and stop the fighting until the rescue
could be effected. One British officer
went ashore with a japanese naval
omcer, hoping the latter could per-
suade Japanese soldiers to move away
from Hohsien.
Japanese detachments, coming in
river boats. we're vigorously pressing
their offensive against Chinese detach-
ments In that area.
U. S. Ships to Remain.
Simultaneously, Admiral Harry Var
nell, commander of the United States
Asiatic Fleet, said tonight that YES
sels of the United States now in China
waters will remain there for protec-
ton of United States nationals as
long as such necessity exists"
His expression came after a jap
anese naval spokesman. talking with
foreign correspondents. suggested
United States and British naval au-
thorities in the Orient withdraw their
respective gunboats from the Yangtze
especially the area above Marking,
where fighting is going on, as the most
practical method of preventing recur-
renee of such incidents as the Panay
and Ladybird bombings.
Admiral Yarnell said no such sug-
gestion had been made to him and
would not be approved if received.
Suggested by japanese.
The japanese spokesman, in talk
ing with foreign correspondents, had
intimated such suggestion already
had been made to United States and
British naval authorities and the
Americans had acquiesced, ordering
the gunboat Oahu to proceed to
Shanghai tomorrow. The spokesman
said the British had not replied.
Admiral Yarnell, further clarifying
the United States position, said the
Oahu had been directed to bring sur
vlvors OF the Panay bombing to Shang-
hal as no other vessel was available.
She viii return to her station on
the Yangtze in due course of time"
he said.
Navy advices from Shanghai to-
day said J. Hall Paxton, second Sec
retary of the United States EN-
bassy at Nanking, was wounded by
shrapnel when the Panay was
sunk)
The Oahu radioed tonight that the
body OF Capt. c. H. Carlson, skipper
OF the Meian, Standard Oil Co. river
vessel bombed at the same time as the
Panay attack, had been recovered
The japanese were preparing it for
burial and it will be sent to Shanghai
The Shanghai American Consulate
received word that A. L. Patterson of
Washington, d. C., was not aboard
the Panay. He previously had been
listed among those iunaccounted for.
Capt. c. H. Carlson OF the Meian was
unaccounted for.
Five Attacks Made.
1t was learned in Shanghai that
the japanese planes made five sep
arate attacks on the Panay and Stand
ard OIL vessels. The Panay did not
sink for 80 minutes, leading to the
hope that all on board had at least
q chance to swim ashore.
Negotiations were reported under
way between japanese and British
authorities to remove the possibility
Of future attacks on British ships.
The aim Of the negotiations was said
to be to permit any OF the approxi-
mately 80 British vessels upstream on
the Yangtze to proceed downriver to
Shanghai.
llnlIaIRlN mn nPp aNrN