Evening star., 1937-11-29
JAPANESE BREACH
NANK|NG DEFENSE
Claim Capture of Three
StronghoIds Guarding
China's Capital.
BACKGROUND

BACKGROUND
japanese invasion OF China, be-
gun t.. north, expanded to Shang-
hai and Central China, resulting in
capture OF Far Eastern metropolis
after t,oc mcnths long heroic de-
tense by Chinese Nationalist troops.
japanese have turned Chinese re-
treat from Shanghai into rout as
drive is launched to 1pin Nnnking,
China's capital, from ,Dhich the
government has fed to up-riper
cities.
Sy the Associated Press.
SHANGHAI, Nov. 2s.-Japanese re-
ported capture today of three key
strongholds in Markings defenses,
bringing them within striking dis
tance of the last Notifications before
China's capital.
(As q precautionary measure,
foreigners remaining in Marking
were moved today to hulk near
the United States gunboat Panay
and the British gunboat Cricket.
United States authorities were fac
ing the most difficult evacuation
problem because 80 missionaries,
news reel men and newspaper cor
respondents out of AZ here were re-
ported determined to remain until
the last minute.)
Official communiques said the jap
iaI Kiopnx,iy, Tho
Yangtze River; Wutsin, about 20 miles
north of Wusih, on the Shanghai
Marking Railroad, and Thing, about
IS miles southeast of Marking.
An army spokesman admitted, how
ever, that the Kiangyin forts. which
have held out for more than week
against Japanese land. air and river
bombardment, still flew the Chinese
flag.
Submerged Boom Bars River.
The forts and a submerged boom of
concrete-laden vessels bar the way up
the Yangtze to Marking to prevent
japanese warships from reaching the
evacuated capital.
The spokesman expressed belief that
the fall of Kiangyin, behind the forts,
after desperate street fighting, would
force the surrender of the strong but
outf1anked fortifications.
AS soon as they capitulate, he de-
clared, the japanese plan to destroy
the river barrier, proceed upstream
and lombard Marking from the
Yangtze.
Intense bombardment and fires set
by retreating Chinese were reported
to have left Wusih, Wutsin and Thing
in flames.
Japanese naval dispatches said a
heavy aerial bombardment was made
on wide area of the front, including
the Kiangyin forts. Liyang. Lishin,
Ningkwofu, Kwanteh and the road to
Wuhu.
Customs Taken 'in Principle"
A Japanese Embassy spokesman.
meanwhile, announced that Japan
had taken over ''in principle" Chinese
customs. post Offices, censorship bu-
reau, telegraphs and radio systems.
He said, however, the japanese were
not taking actual physical control or
making any administrative changes
at present. He declined to answer
what eventual action might be taken
concerning administration of China's
Maritime Customs.
Refusal of Chinese telegraphers
and technicians to remain at work
under japanese rule paralyzed all
domestic communications.
Shanghai, therefore, remained iso-
lated by radio and telegraph from
the rest of China, as 1t was yesterday
when japanese officials seized the
communications systems and ordered
service suspended.
Efforts Of the japanese to induce
Chinese communications employees to
remain at their posts were unsuccess-
full. A japanese spokesman declared,
however, that suspension of Chinese
telegraph service was necessary to pre-
serve secrecy of Japan's military oper-
ations and to prevent Chinese from
sabotagng the equipment.
American and other foreign news
agencies in Shanghai received no
direct news from Nanking, Hankow
or other centers of the conflict.
With the fighting moving away
from Shanghai, Admiral Harry E.
Yarnell, commander of the United
States Asiatic Fleet, informed naval
authorities at Manila and Washing
ton he would not object to the re-
turn OF some wives and dependents of
service men.
His order applied to families of Of
fcers and men of the Asiatic Fleet
and Marine Corps permanently sta
toned in Shanghai, including the 4th
Regiment of Marines and Navy per-
sonnel ashore. It did not apply to
families of the 9Th Marine Regiment,
recently arrived from San Diego, Calf.
United States Consul General Clar-
ence E. Gauss, took no official action
concerning the return of families of
consular officials, however. He was
understood informally to have ad-
vised United States authorities at
Manila and other refugees that Ameri-
cans returning to Shanghai would do
so at their own risk as the situation.
. although considerably relaxed, had
-