The Situation in China
I. Advance of the Imperial Army
Press Section, War Department
Fall of Nanking
AUTHORITATIVE information received by the Japanese military command in Central China reported that General Chiang Kai-shek fled from his capital by aeroplane on the morning of December 7, 1937, for Nanchang, capital of Kiangsi province. The last day of Nanking was near.
General Tang Sheng-chih was making desperate efforts to defend the city, but the Japanese forces established positions dominating Nanking by breaking through the main defence line of the Chinese in the vicinity. All that remained before complete Japanese occupation could be effected was to drive the remnants of Chinese troops from in and around the walled city.
Prior to a general attack on Nanking, General Matsui, Commander-in-Chief of the Japanese Army on the Central China front, sent a letter to General Tang Sheng-chih, Commander of the Chinese troops defending Nanking, at noon of December 9th, advising him to surrender peacefully by noon of the following day. The letter which General Matsui sent through chivalrous and humanitarian motives was dropped at General Tang's headquarters by a Japanese military plane.
The message urging peaceful capitulation read, in substance :
" The fall of Nanking is inevitable under present circumstances. Further resistance in a city which has been the capital of China for a long time and which has been the seat of Chinese culture for centuries with a large number of historic sites and monuments promises nothing but destruction of the valued Chinese culture. This, Japan is unwilling to witness. You are hereby requested to hand over Nanking peacefully to the Japanese troops, taking a long view of the situation. Your reply is expected by noon, December 10th."
General Tang Sheng-chih, however, failed to reply to General
Matsui's letter, and his troops maintained stubborn resistance against the Japanese forces. The Japanese military authorities, therefore, decided to launch a general attack on Nanking at 1 o'clock on the afternoon of December 10th. The full strength of the Japanese artillery was brought to bear upon Nanking. Simultaneously all Japanese forces started an onslaught on the walled town, while the Japanese air force took an active part in the general attack.
The Japanese military and naval air forces attacked not only the Chinese troops in Nanking but those retreating along the Yangtze River from Nanking. They also visited the Chinese air bases and bombed new Chinese aeroplanes which were purchased from abroad for the purpose of reorganizing the Chinese air force.
In the eastern sector of Nanking The converging Japanese forces steadily tightened their encircling line around the city, dislodging the Chinese troops in their way. After breaking through the Chinese positions along the line between Tangshuichen and Tangshan, the main body of the Japanese force driving on the eastern sector of Nanking reached Huangnishu toward evening, December 9th. The Ono and Noda detachments which formed the vanguard pressed hard on Chilinmen 8 kilometres east of Purple Mountain at noon, December 8th. At dawn, the following day, the two detachments launched a furious attack on the Chinese troops at Chilinmen.
The following evening, the detachments advanced to the line joining the eastern side of Chilinmen to Tsangpochen. Breaking through frontal enemy positions, the detachments made further advances during the afternoon of December 10th. The right wing reached Yaopeimen, 9 kilometres north-east of Nanking, while the main body advanced to the southern and eastern base of Purple Mountain.
On December 11th, the Japanese right wing broke through the enemy position near Yaopeimen and advanced to its western district. The main body was attacking the enemy position between the summit of Purple Mountain and Hsiaowei, but toward evening, December 11th, succeeded in reaching the line connecting the northern extremity of Lake Yuanwu to the eastern side of Chungshanmen via the western base of Purple Mountain.
The Japanese forces steadily kept up their drive on Nanking. By the evening of December 12th, the right wing neared Hopingmen, while the main body occupied the summit of Purple Mountain at 5 : 30 p. m., December 12th.
Part of the Ono detachment stormed the Chungshanmen of Nanking at 3 : 20 a. m., December 13th, which it succeeded in occupying. The sun-flag was hoisted on the gate amidst lusty shouts of " banzai."
Part of the Katagiri detachment early in the same morning occupied Sun Yat-sen's mausoleum.
Following the capture of Chungshanmen the Japanese troops dashed into the walled town and occupied the Chinese military establishments near the gate. The Sukegawa detachment which drove north of the walled town reached Hsiakwan and cut off the retreat of the Chinese troops from Nanking to the north and also to the west along the Yangtze River.
The Chinese troops left about 5,000 dead in the northern section of Nanking up to December 13th. Additionally, the Japanese troops captured 3 locomotives, 6 passenger carriages and 38 freight waggons at Hsiakwan on December 13th.
In the south-eastern sector of Nanking The Japanese forces which had been attacking Chunhuachen since December 6th succeeded in breaking through the enemy position at Chunhuachen and reached Kaomiao the same evening in pursuit of the retreating enemy. On the morning of December 9th, they pressed hard on Nanking. The next afternoon they reached the line along the creek below the walls of Nanking connecting the eastern side of the Chungshanmen and the south-eastern salient of Nanking.
The Wakizaka detachment which had been pushing on Nanking along the old highway reached the Kwanghuamen of the city on December 9th when fighting at close range developed between them and the Chinese troops which made desperate efforts to defend the position. At 5 p. m., December 10th, the Wakizaka unit succeeded in blowing up part of the gate and storming the gate itself. The following day, fresh Japanese troops arrived near the gate. The detachment with those reinforcements then penetrated into the walled city.
The right wing of the Japanese force which had been attacking the south-eastern salient of Nanking broke through the enemy position at a height east of the Chungshanmen and on December 10th approached within 100 metres of that gate. Under cover of artillery, the Japanese force launched hand-to-hand fighting against the enemy. At dawn, the following day, the Japanese troops dashed into the walled town through an opening blasted near the Chungshanmen and drove north, after dislodging the enemy which offered stiff resistance.
Another Japanese unit which advanced on Nanking via Changchow and Kintan reached the Shangfangmen on December 12th by way of Tienwangsze and Hushu. The Takamori detachment which led this unit participated in the engagement at the south-eastern salient
of Nanking. After occupying the salient, the detachment on December 13th pressed hard on the Wutingmen.
In the southern sector of Nanking The Japanese forces which had been advancing on Nanking from Lishui occupied Molingkwan on December 7th and continued their pursuit of the retreating enemy. The Okamoto and Takeshita detachments, after reaching the southern area of Lishui drove north-west side by side with the Japanese forces which advanced from Lishui, and reached the line connecting the area north of Shuiko and the area east of Kulitsun on the evening of December 8th. The following day they advanced to the line connecting the area north of Shuiko and the area east of Kulitsun. On December 9th they advanced to the line connecting the height south of Yuhuatai and Sishanchiao, thus pressing back the enemy into Nanking.
The Chiba, Yamada, Yazaki and Yamamoto detachments maintained their fierce onslaught on the enemy position along the line between Heungchuan and Antehmen on the southern side of Nanking on the night of December 10th. The situation began to develop in favour of the Japanese, especially the Japanese right wing. The Yamamoto detachment approached within 700 metres of Yuhuatai by the evening of December 11th.
The Okamoto and Hasegawa detachments on December 11th continued their attack on the enemy position along the line between Antehmen and Mokwantao on the southern side of Nanking. The Takeshita detachment advanced west of Nanking and stormed the Shuisimen on the morning of December 13th. This unit drove into the city and occupied a height in the north-western section of Nanking in the late afternoon.
At about 4 p. m., December 11th, the Chinese troops in Nanking started to retreat upstream in over a dozen boats, on which a part of the Japanese artillery and infantry forces fired from the southern bank of the Yangtze River.
The Japanese forces which had been attacking Nanking from the south reached the northern base of the Yuhuatai height on the morning of December 12th, when they started an attack on the southern walls of Nanking, At noon, December 12th, the Hasegawa and Chiba detachments succeeded in storming the Chunghuamen, the most strongly guarded of all the gates of Nanking. Two Okamoto detachments were also active in the final onslaught on the city. One of these occupied the walls west of the Chunghuamen at 4 : 20 p. m., on December 12th. The other occupied the south-western salient at 4 : 40 o'clock the same afternoon. All Japanese forces pressed the Chinese troops back to the northern section of Nanking.
The Japanese troops which entered Nanking from the south, west and east gates of Nanking succeeded in cleaning up the remnants of Chinese troops in the city by the evening of December 13th.
The Japanese forces made a triumphant entry into Nanking on December 17th when General Matsui, Commander-in-Chief, reviewed the Japanese forces. All were filled with deep emotion.
Drive on Hangchow
The capture of Nanking marked a definite stage in the military operations in the Shanghai and Nanking area. Meanwhile, however,a drive on Hangchow, capital of Chekiang province, had been started.
The Japanese detachment which reduced Wuhu on the Yangtze swung south-east and at 2 : 40 p. m., December 21st, occupied Tipuchen, about 8 kilometres south of Anchi. Part of the detachment advanced north of Hsiaofeng and another unit occupied Tungpu during the same evening. The following day, the detachment, after defeating about 500 Chinese troops near Hsiaofeng, drove south and about 3 p. m., reached the line connecting Shuanki, 20 kilometres north-west of Yuhang and Panpanchiao. The detachment steadily continued its drive on Hangchow.
Another Japanese detachment which was standing by in Shanghai, also came into action.
On December 21st it reached Chiaerhtsun, about 20 kilometres south of Huchow. At 2 p. m., the following day, this unit passed through Sanchiaopu (4 kilometres north of Wukong), Shuishihchen (12 kilometres east of Mokanshai) and Nanmulin (20 kilometres north-east of Tehching), thus establishing a position enabling the Japanese forces to encircle Hangchow.
Part of the Japanese force which occupied Yuhang on the evening of December 23rd left Yuhang at 7 o'clock on the same evening, to continue its drive on Hangchow. The following night, the detachment reached Fuyang and was making a forced crossing of the Fuchun River at noon, December 25th, when it was learned that about 4,000 Chinese troops were retreating toward Fuyang from Hangchow by the Hangchow-Fuyang highway. The detachment immediately abandoned its attempted crossing of the river and pressed the retreating enemy toward the Chientang River. The situation was developing in favour of the Japanese forces when the Japanese left column succeeded in outflanking the enemy and advanced on the rear of the Chinese troops from Liuhsiachen, thus trapping the enemy. The Japanese troops overcame the Chinese force at about 5 o'clock in the same afternoon. It transpired that this force
really formed the main body of the Chinese 107th division. The loss sustained by the Japanese in the engagement was negligible.
Another Japanese detachment which was driving on Hangchow from the north reached Pingyaochen on the night of December 23rd and immediately continued the offensive. Part of the Japanese force occupied the Wulin gate, the north-western salient of Hangchow, at 7 : 50 o'clock, December 24th, while the main body succeeded in cleaning up the remnants of Chinese troops in the walled city shortly after noon on the same day and also occupied the air field.
Hangchow, the capital of Chekiang province, thus fell into Japanese hands on December 24th. The following day, the Japanese forces made a triumphant entry into the city.
One Japanese detachment which was also pushing on Hangchow met the Chinese 63rd division along the line between Tsungteh and Changan and defeated it. This unit entered Hangchow at 2 p. m., December 25th.
The Japanese captured 8 mountain guns, 5 field guns and four other guns in taking Hangchow.
At this point the movement of Japanese forces which crossed over the Yangtze River to the northern bank shortly before or after the fall of Nanking must be mentioned.
The Hanaya detachment occupied Yangchow at the entrance of the Grand Canal opposite to Chinkiang shortly before the fall of Nanking. The vanguard of other Japanese forces which followed the Hanaya detachment to the northern bank of the Yangtze occupied Icheng and Hsupuchiao 4 kilometres north-west of it on the evening of December 16th. The main body then reached the area south-west of Yangchow. After driving away the enemy located in the north-western direction, the Japanese forces occupied Tienchang, 50 kilometres north-west of Yangchow on December 22nd.
Another Japanese unit left Chinkiang on the night of December 15th by motor launch and succeeded in landing at Luho at 8 : 30 o'clock, the following morning. The same evening, this detachment advanced to a district west of Luho. The Chinese troops which defended Luho and the surrounding district apparently belonged to the Shantung army.
The Japanese detachment which advanced to Icheng continued its northern drive on December 17th and occupied Shuikowchen, 14 kilometres east of Chuhsien. Shortly after noon, December 18th, the detachment advanced east of Chuhsien, on which it launched an attack the following day.
One detachment took Shohochi, 12 kilometres north of Chuhsien at 4 : 30 p.m., December 19th, thereby cutting off the Tientsin-Pukow
Railway. The main body of Japanese forces reduced Chuhsien at 10 a.m., December 20th, and continued its northern drive. On December 22nd, these troops occupied Lishantao, 12 kilometres north of Chuhsien and Chulungchiao.
A Japanese cavalry force took Changpaling, 22 kilometres north of Chuhsien, where it inflicted heavy damage on three troop trains and captured over a dozen passenger carriages and freight waggons.
The Adachi and Nagatsu detachments which had also crossed the Yangtze River to the northern bank reached Yangchow at the entrance to the Grand Canal on December 18th. Part of these detachments occupied Hsiennuchen, Icheng and Shiherhwei. On December 21st, they advanced further north and reduced Shaopochen.
The Kurabayashi detachment which was making a vigorous northern drive in the region north of the Yangtze River successfully took Shihshihtze, 50 kilometres north of Anlai. On January 2nd, the detachment occupied Chuyi, about 80 kilometres north of Chuhsien.
About 300 Chinese soldiers staged a counter-attack on part of the Tashiro detachment which was holding Mopanshan, about 30 kilometres north-west of Chuhsien on January 4th, but were repulsed with heavy losses.
II. Forces of the Imperial Navy in Action
Publicity Bureau, Navy Department
Activities of the Naval Air Force
(From December 7th to January 3rd)
THE Japanese Naval Air Force has become increasingly active over all parts of China. Its admirable record is continually being bettered. An outline of its recent activities is given below :—
In Central China : December 7th While participating in the attack on Nanking, the Naval Air Force visited Wuhu, where the airfield was bombed ; Anking (capital of Anhui province), where the airfield was likewise bombed, and Tienshengchiang (opposite Kiangyin), where bombs were dropped on the fort and other military establishments.
December 8th In addition to a raid on Nanking covering the advance of Japanese troops, the Naval Air Force bombed enemy positions at Tsingkiang, opposite Kiangyin, and the military arsenal at Kunghsien in Honan province.
December 9th Enemy positions in and around Nanking were bombed in cooperation with the attacking Japanese troops. Additionally, Chinese troop concentrations at Pukow, enemy positions at Sanyingkiang, and the airfield at Nanchang were bombed. In the raid on Nanchang, the Japanese fliers destroyed over a dozen Chinese planes on the ground. In the ensuing air duel, the raiders shot down 12 out of more than 30 Chinese challenging planes. One Japanese plane became missing.
December 10th In cooperation with the Army attack on Nanking the Naval Air Force bombed the Chungshanmen and Kwanghuamen, the Kukung airfield and the Military College there.
Naval planes also visited and bombed the Chienkuai Fort at Chinkiang, military establishments at Sanyinkow, and the airfield at Chuchow on the Hangchow-Nanchang Railway.
December 11th Covering the advance of Japanese troops, the Fukueishan Fort and the Kwanhuamen of Nanking were bombed. Several naval air units also attacked enemy positions at Pukow. Additionally, forts near Chinkiang were bombed and the airfield at Loyang, capital of Honan province, was visited, where a hangar and other buildings were destroyed.
December 12th While attacking the Chungshanmen, enemy positions inside the gate, and Chinese troops retreating upstream from Nanking, the Naval Air Force also visited and bombed the Tutienchen and Wulungshan Forts near Chinkiang and the airfield at Nanchang.
In the raid on Nanchang, the naval planes bombed and destroyed 8 aeroplanes including a large-sized one and an aeroplane factory. On the way back the Japanese raiders met 3 enemy Northrops over Huangshan, 130 kilometres south-west of Kwangteh and brought down one of them.
December 14th The Naval Air Force again visited Nanchang where it bombed and destroyed 28 planes on the ground. In a combat with 10 Chinese planes which had been standing by, the Japanese raiders shot down 7 of them and returned safely to their base. Naval planes also raided Anking, capital of Anhui province, where the aerodrome and two godowns nearby were destroyed.
December 15th The activity of the Naval Air Force was extended to the following points which were bombed : military lines of communication at Chuki (50 kilometres south of Hangchow) ; the airfield at Luchow (Anhui province) ; the airfield at Pengpu where 2 planes were destroyed on the ground ; and machine-gun emplacements at a height north of Pukow.
December 16th Chuki and Hangchow were again visited and Chinese lines of communication attacked.
December 17th The Naval Air Force visited Szeking and bombed the remnants of the defeated Chinese troops there.
December 20th Kiukiang was raided and its airfield was effectively bombed.
December 22nd The Naval squadron visited Nanchang, capital of Kiangsi province and shot down 17 out of over 20 Chinese planes which challenged it. The Japanese raiders bombed and destroyed 13 planes on the ground.
December 25th Several naval planes, after reconnoitring Hangchow and Chuki, bombed freight trains and tracks between Chuki and Pitao.
The Naval Air Force reached Jangyang, 270 kilometres north-west of Hankow, bombed the airfield there and destroyed 4 out of 7 planes which were on the ground.
December 27th The Naval Air Force reconnoitred Anking, Hofei and Pengpu but encountered no enemy planes. The Japanese raiders bombed and destroyed airfields, hangars and godowns at those points.
January 2nd The Naval Air Force again visited Nanchang, capital of Kiangsi province and bombed a hangar, an aeroplane factory and a large-sized plane on the ground. In the ensuing air duel, the
Japanese airmen brought down one Chinese plane. The Naval Air Force also visited Anking, capital of Anhui province and effectively bombed the airfield there.
In North China : December 7th The Naval Air Force visited and bombed the following places : military lines of communication at Tungkwan (east of Sian, capital of Shensi province) ; military lines of communication and troop concentrations at Hsuchow and districts south of it ; Chingkowchen and Suhsien.
December 8th Hsuchow, the junction point of the Tientsin-Pukow Railway and the Lunghai Railway was visited. The station building and troop trains were effectively bombed.
December 12th The Naval Air Force raided Sian, capital of Shensi province, where a hangar and other buildings together with 2 small-sized planes at the airfield were bombed and destroyed.
December 14th Naval planes visited Lini in eastern Shantung province and attacked the military arsenal there.
December 15th Military barracks at Huaiyin (Kiangsu province) and military lines of communication at Yenchow (Shantung province) were attacked.
December 19th The Naval Air Force visited Chufu, Luhsien and other places in Shantung province where military establishments and lines of communication were subjected to bombing.
December 21st Naval planes visited Lanchow, capital of Kansu province, bombing and destroying one hangar, 6 large-sized and 2 small-sized planes on the ground. In an aerial combat with 10 enemy planes, the Japanese raiders shot down 6 of the former.
December 22nd The Naval Air Force raided Chouchiakow in Honan province and effectively bombed the airfield there.
December 25th Naval airplanes reconnoitred various important towns in Shantung province. Military barracks, freight trains and godowns at Haichow, eastern terminus of the Lunghai Railway, were bombed, while the military barracks at Lini and Lienyunchiang were also attacked.
December 26th The Naval Air Force again visited Yenchow and Hsuchow and bombed military establishments there.
December 27th The Naval Air Force reconnoitred Laoshen near Tsingtao and also visited and bombed military points at Yenchow, Hsuchow, Lini, Ichow and Luhsien.
December 28th Japanese Naval planes attacked enemy concentrations between Tangtao and Chucheng and also an enemy armoured train between Ichow and Hsiachuanchi. The railway station at Yenchow was also bombed.
December 29th While reconnoitring various important towns in
Shantung province, the Naval Air Force visited the following places and attacked enemy concentrations, rollingstock and military barracks in cooperation with the Japanese troops driving southward : Tapingchi, Hsuchow, Yencheng, Kwantunpu, Chucheng, Luhsien, Kulipo, Hanyu, Ichow, Lincheng, Tatien, Wangchiachuan and Haichow.
Several other Japanese naval planes raided Sian, capital of Shensi province and bombed the airfield there, destroying a hangar, an aeroplane factory and an aeroplane on the ground.
December 30th The Naval Air Force raided Hsuchow, Ichow, Haichow, Yenchow, Paichi, Chuangchiachen and Kaitaochi and attacked troop concentrations, troop trains and motorcars, inflicting heavy damage on Chinese troops retreating from Shantung.
Several other naval planes visited Loyang, capital of Honan province, and bombed the airfield there, destroying 4 planes on the ground and several adjacent buildings.
December 31st The Naval Air Force devoted its attention to the Chinese troops retreating southward from Shantung province by train and motor trucks.
January 1st The Naval Air Force visited Taolochen in eastern Shantung province and attacked troop concentrations there.
January 2nd While reconnoitring Tsingtao and other important points in Shantung province, the Naval Air Force visited Hsinanchen and Pingtu, attacking enemy concentrations and troop trains.
In South China, December 8th Naval planes visited various towns in South China and bombed lines of communication.
December 10th The Naval Air Force raided Shiuchow and Canton, bombing the airfields there.
December 12th Shiuchow was raided again. The airfield and an aeroplane factory were bombed.
December 14th Naval planes flew over various important towns in South China, attacking enemy lines of communication.
December 17th and 18th While attacking lines of communication near Canton, the Naval Air Force visited Tienho and Pokwan near Canton and bombed the airfields there, destroying hangars and other buildings.
December 19th The Naval Air Force attacked several important points along lines of communication in South China. In addition, it visited Wuchow and bombed the airfield there, destroying a hangar.
December 20th and 21st Naval fliers bombed the Canton-Hankow, Canton-Kowloon and Canton-Samshui Railways.
December 24th The Canton-Kowloon Railway was bombed near Lintsun.
December 25th The Naval Air Force again bombed the Canton-
Hankow Railway near Yintak, the Canton-Kowloon Railway near Tutang and the Sunning Railway near Taishan.
December 26th Various important points along the Canton-Hankow, Canton-Kowloon, and Sunning Railways were attacked.
December 27th The Naval Air Force bombed the Canton-Hankow Railway near Yuantan and Paknai, the Canton-Kowloon Railway near Changmok and the Sunning Railway near Kungyifow.
December 28th Japanese planes bombed the Canton-Hankow Railway near Hotaoyu, the Sunning Railway near Wanfuktze and the Canton-Kowloon Railway near Changmok.
December 29th The Naval Air Force attacked points along the Canton-Hankow Railway near Changmok, Laitung, Yinchanyao and Pakonghow and the Canton-Kowloon Railway near Lungtow and Tutang.
December 30th Naval planes bombed the motor road between Canton and Hongkong including several bridges. They also bombed the Canton-Hankow Railway near Chuntien, the Sunning Railway near Takianghu and Kungyifow and the Canton-Kowloon Railway near Changhui, Sheklung and Pitsun. A gunpowder magazine at Tsengpu was also bombed.
December 31st The Naval Air Force attacked various important points along the motor road between Canton and Kowloon as well as along the Canton-Kowloon Railway.
January 1st Naval planes flew in formation over Pitsun on the Canton-Kowloon Railway and bombed the military establishments there. They bombed the bridge at Shatsun, about 70 kilometres east of Canton. Several other naval planes visited Canton and bombed the Pokwan airfield and the Canton-Hankow Railway.
January 2nd The Naval Air Force bombed the motor road between Canton and Kowloon as well as the Canton-Kowloon Railway. It also bombed several important points on the Canton-Hankow Railway, including Tsungfa, 60 kilometres north-east of Canton.
The Japanese Fleet on the Yangtze
A brilliant page was added to the annals of the Japanese Navy when, on December 13th, 1937, an Imperial squadron arrived at the Hsiakwan wharf in Nanking. China's capital fell on that memorable day before the combined attacks of the Japanese Army and Navy and their aerial units.
At dawn of the same day, the Japanese squadron had attacked and reduced Wulungshan Fort and Laoyenyu Fort, 15 miles below Nanking and the main defence line of the capital on the Yangtze River.
At 2 o'clock that afternoon, the squadron began the dash on Nanking.
The cruise upstream was a difficult one because the squadron had to silence the enemy on the northern bank of the river who fired incessantly on the Japanese ships. The squadron was able, however, to inflict considerable damage to Chinese troops attempting to flee to the northern bank from the Nanking area. Within four hours after reducing the Wulungshan and Laoyenyu Forts, the Japanese Navy succeeded in cutting off Nanking.
The ten days prior to its success in breaking through the Chinese blockade at Kiangyin was an anxious and difficult time for the Japanese squadron which had to sail upstream by removing booms and sweeping mines on the way, and at the same time fight Chinese troops on either bank of the Yangtze which constantly harassed the warships. After overcoming all sorts of difficulties, however, the Japanese squadron succeeded in securing command of the Yangtze River and participated in the general attack on Nanking, by approaching Hsiakwan wharf four months after the outbreak of the China Affair. The squadron effectively cut off the retreat of Chinese troops from Nanking along the Yangtze.
Since the capture of Nanking, the squadron has been engaged in re-opening the Yangtze to navigation by removing booms and sweeping mines amidst difficulties. The squadron has already succeeded in securing free navigation from Nanking to Wuhu, a stretch of about 400 kilometres.