Evening star., 1937-09-09
Chinese Block
Stream to
Japanese.
SHELLS BURST
AT CONSULATE
100 More Marines
Landed at
Shanghai.

ACKGROUND-
Terrific fighting on land, air and
sea continues in Shanghai as jap
dnese siege of ancient Chinese city
is notD in fifth Deek. Thousands of
Americans are stranded In city,
iUhere their liUes are endangered.
All foreign po,Cers haze reinforced
military detachments in Interna-
tiondl Settlement in an effort to
protect their nationals. Chinese
troops haDe held their lines despite
terrific bombardments of japanese
10arships and hare prevented land
ing OF japanese reintorcements.
By the Associated Press.
SHANGHAI, September 9.-Three
1-pounder shells crashed directly in
front Of the American Consulate Gen.
eral this afternoon, seriously injuring
three Chinese civilians and one Brit
ish Sikh policeman.
The ''pom-pom" shells were fired
from Chinese guns just north of the
International Settlement border, ap-
parently at four low-flying japanese
bombers.
just previously 100 additional
American marines had been landed
from Admiral Harry Yarnell's yacht
Isabel after a hurried trip from
Tsingtao. They swelled the United
States land forces to 1900 Marines.
The marines were moved into place
Immediately behind the Notifications
lining the northern border of the
International Settlement, where the
American forces guard the most
hazardous section of the boundary.
A daredevil Chinese pilot whose
aim was bad dropped bombs early
today in the Yangtzepoo district and
started huge fires.
He aimed at japanese warcraft in
the River Whangpoo, but, instead,
his bombs landed in rapid succession
on the shore.
One of the fires was at the former
American China Import & Export Co.,
which has the largest lumber yards
in the Orient. The concern now is
British controlled.
Chinese troops chung tenaciously to
their main lines on all fronts in the
face Of incessant and sustained attacks
from the combined Japanese Army,
airforce and navy.
U. S. River Fleet Blockaded.
Chinese struck new blow at the
japanese Navy today by blockading
the upper reaches of the Yangtze
River with barrier just below Silver
Island, some 80 miles east of Marking.
The barricade of obsolete steamers
and Chinese junks loaded with sand
and concrete effectively blocked the
Japanese fleet from spreading its ac-
tivities far up the river from Shang-
hal. 1t meant that any considerable
advance of the Japanese would place
their land forces beyond the protecting
range of their warships' guns.
The barrier also bottled up the
United States fleet of river gunboats
on the Yangtze and made more diff
hcult the evacuation of 1900 war
beleaguered refugees at Hankow, $50
miles up the Yangtze from Shanghai,
as well as other Americans in various
parts of the valley.
Nearly 500 American officers and
sailors are aboard the six gunboats
marooned up the river. They have
food supplies for six months, how
ever, and Admiral Yarnell felt no
concern for their safety.
The main japanese attack was
launched in force against Kiangwan,
strategic back door" to Shanghai, 6
miles north of the city and midway
to Woosung. A Japanese spokesman
said that the Far Eastern race course,
however, had not yet fallen to their
hands.