17 MARCH 1928, Page 2

In China there is, as we expected, every appearance of

active preparation for a new campaign. Chiang Kai-shek is north of Nanking and one-third of the way to Peking with armies and equipment. Chang Tso-lin has his troops a long way south of Peking. To the west is the inscrutable Feng Yu-hsiang with his well disciplined army, which is said to be short of munitions. Chiang's bold defiance of Peking may, of course, be an invitation to Chang to come to terms ; or a third explanation May be that he is bidding for Feng's support, which is doubtful. In Shanghai H.M.'s Minister is being Most cordially received and entertained by the authorities. The Times published on Wednesday a glowing account of the resurrection of Hankow generally and of the British Concession there in particUlar. But the accounts- of the horrors that go on in -districts Where the so-called Red Communists are Unchecked, are blood-curdling.