Evening star., 1937-12-15
REPORT US. GROUP
SAFE IN NANK|NG
Japanese Say 18 Americans
Remain in Captured
China Capital.
81 the Associated Press.

0y tHe Associated fTeSS.
SHANGHAI, Dec 15.-The Japa-
nese Embassy said today 81 foreigners
Including 18 Americans--who were
within the walls Of Nanking when
Japanese troops stormed and captured
the Chinese capital city, were all re-
ported safe in a message from Nam
king.
Beside the Americans, there were
six Germans, two Russians and a
Briton who chose to remain in the be-
leaguered city, rather than evacuate
on a river boat as many other endan-
gered foreigners did
The Embassy report said there were
100000 Chinese In the "safety zone"
Embassy Undamaged.
There were no foreign diplomatic
officials remaining in Nanking, &C
cording to the Japanese information
The japanese Embassy was reported
to have escaped damage, but the
japanese said they were uninformed
about how other diplomatic establish
ments had Jared in the fighting.
Sketchy reports from the war front
indicated hard fighting was in progress
beyond Nanking where the Japanese
Army, driving steadily into the in
terror, was combating Chinese along
new defense line established ap-
proXimately 5 miles northwest of the
fallen capital.
Survivors Of the Panay bombing told
of the area along the Yangtze being
embroiled in large-scale battle: The
Chinese apparently rallied about 140,-
600 men on the new line at Puchen
In desperate effort to halt the Japa-
nese advance.
Japanese Establish Base.
Gen. Iwane Matsui, commander of
the troops conquering Nanking, set up
field headquarters there and reorgan-
lied his forces for speedy continuation
Of the interior campaign.
The Chinese forces were reported
throwing up Notifications along the
Tientsin-Pukow Railway, across the
Yangtze River from Marking.
Marking forces still were mopping
up in the war-ravaged city, according
to the meager advices filtering through
to Shanghai, and the casualties of
the hand-to-hand struggle for Marking
apparently were enormous.
Yangchow Captured.
Spearing out 35 miles northeast of
Marking last night, a Japenese force
surprised Chinese defending Yangchow
and captured the walled city.
The Yangchow onslaught followed
q defiant rejection by Gen. Nah Siao-
chen, commanding the Chinese force
there, of Gen, Matsui's request that
he surrender.
Another Japanese column advancing
along the YangtZe River captured for
tifications and % large guns outside
Nanking.
A Japanese Army spokesman here
said that while Marking was in Japa-
nese hands, occupation of the area
was not complete because Chinese
guns at the Lion Hill forts had not
been silenced and other batteries in
the western hills still were firing.
Great Celebration Tonight.
The Japanese announced a great
celebration today in the fallen capital
with Vice Admiral Kiyoshi Hasegawa
and other high army and navy officers
participating Hasegawa commands
the Japanese naval forces in the Chi
nese campaign.
Proclamations signed by General
Matsui plastered the walls of build
tngs in Marking, urging Chinese civil
ians to return to the homes where
their ancestors lived and prospered.
The proclamation declared the OBJ
tective of the japanese forces was
to exterminate anti-Japanese troops
and not to harm peaceful persons. 1t
threatened severe punishment for any
who hindered the Japanese operations
or harmed Japanese soldiers.