§ 3. Colonel DAYasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether there has been any change in the situation in China since his last statement; and will he give the House full particulars of the present position?
§ Sir A. CHAMBERLAINThe reports that I have received during the past week show that Yen Hsi-Shan, the Military Governor of Shansi, has moved a force of six divisions eastward from Taiyuan fu, apparently as a threat against Chang Tso-lin. Sun Chuan Fang, the bulk of whose troops are concentrated along the Shantung Railway, has moved a force of 20,000 men to Yenchow, on the Tient-sin-Pukow Railway. On the 30th June, a Russian armoured train, operating from this town, re-captured Lincheng from the Southern armies. At Kaomi, on the Tsingtao Railway, one of Sun Chuan Fang's commanders, has declared his independence and hoisted the Nationalist flag. The Fengtien troops are reported to have advanced along the Peking-Hankow Railway and to have crossed the Yellow River, the railway between Cheng-chow and Loyang is reported to have been cut. Feng Yu-hsiang has retired to Loyang. At the end of June, Feng Yuhsiang sent a telegram to Hankow stating that the extremist section there had outlived its usefulness and might retire to a well-earned rest. General Galin, the Bolshevik adviser to the Wuhan Administration, is making a show of compliance with this order, but is reported to be making preparations for the defence of Hankow, for which he claims to have sufficient forces. In the event of defeat, he states that he undertakes that there will be nothing left in Hankow to make its capture worth while. On the 1st July, a British steamer travelling from Shanghai to Hankow was fired at from Hwangchow, about 70 miles below Hankow, and three Chinese passengers were wounded. The following day an American destroyer was fired on at the same place. The military autho 1240 rities both at Hankow and Nanking disclaim responsibility for the troops responsible for this attack.
§ Colonel DAYAre we withdrawing any of the British troops that are in China now, in view of the easier situation?
§ Sir A. CHAMBERLAINAs announced already in the Press, the Indian Brigade is being withdrawn from Shanghai. It is no longer required, in consequence of the reinforcements which have arrived.