Shanghai We have tried to give in our first leading
article reasons why even so we must not give way to despondency either generally or in China particularly : and we publish another article full of an intimate observer's information about Shanghai itself. Here we must record the course of events since we wrote last week of the serious development there which had led the Council of the League to bid Japan refrain from overt action. That appeal had no effect upon the Japanese Naval and Military Commanders on the spot. Through their Consul-General they presented an ultimatum to the Chinese Mayor to be satisfactorily answered on Thursday evening, January 28th. That bewildered official gave in entirely. Nevertheless the Japanese Admiral announced that he must take action on behalf of the lives and property of Japanese subjects. The forces of Japan on land at Shanghai are not large numerically when compared with the regular or irregular Chinese there who are capable of fighting, though ill- organized and ill-disciplined. These were said to be coming in large numbers into the northern suburb, Chapel, and there were rumours of Chiang Kai-shek leading a large army upon Shanghai from Nanking. Hence probably the nervousness that destroyed any will for restraint among the Japanese. * * * *
