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Show ARTILLERY DUEL MARKS OPENING OF HOSTILITIES Hostile Chinese Clash on Extended Line South of Pekin, Avoiding Disturbance Disturb-ance of City Residents FOREIGNERS ADVISED TO FLEE TO CAPITAL Thousands Watch Progress of "Battle- FronT Atop Walls of Ancient Strong. hold; Americans Near PRKIN. April II (By A. P.), Plghtlng south of tho Pekln-Tlontsln railway atlll was In progress at noon today. Tho forces of General Chans; Teo-LIn, military governor of Manchuria, Man-churia, and General Wu Pol-Fa, mill, tary leader of contra China, wars re. ported engaged alone a lino extending from Mac hang, twenty mllea south of Tientsin, to a point south of Pektn. A dispatch from Tientsin says ther haa been heavy artillery firing near Machang for tho last twenty hours. Tho foreign legations her have ad. vised Iho nationals of their respect I v countries who are now outside Pekln to hasten to tho capital aa a measure of aelf protection. ATTLE RAGES ALL DAY. Tho fighting, which began at dawn thla morning at Changslntlen.- twelve mllea southwest of this city, waa continuing con-tinuing at I o'clock this afternoon. There waa artillery firing In tha vicinity vi-cinity of tho Maroolo bridge. The firing opened along a front ex-, tending from Changslngtlen, ten mllea southwest of Pekln, to a point thirty mllea duo south. Both armies are Intrenched In-trenched along the Pekln-Hankow railroad, rail-road, with Wu-Pel Fu's base at Pao Ting Fu. The artillery filing waa hoard distinctly In Pekln and thou, aanda of people, including many for-elgnera for-elgnera mounted the, elty well, frcm which tho smoke of the battlefiu.a . I ' visible. During tho night sounds of Inter, fnlttent firing came from tho front, but with tho dawn a brisk cannonade began, tho city roualng to tho mount, ing sound. Some Americano ventured out to tho race track west of Pekin, whore they aaw Chang Tso-Lin troops directing artillery fire from tho hilla CITY TO BE SPARED. Both Chang Tao-LIn and W Pel Fu have apparently warned their foroeo to avoid approaching tho city, on account of warning from the lega-tlona lega-tlona that they would not tolerate disorder dis-order In Pekln. Tho government la prepared to does the city gates at sny moment, but thio has so far not been deemed necessary. Tho members of tho government headed by Hsu Shlh-Chang are aa one In lamenting tho hoelllitlee. Tho president declarea he will remain neutral neu-tral and acting Premier Chou Tsu-Chl aays that efforts to prsvOnt civil war are being continued. Foreign observers report that Wu Pel Fu la attempting to turn tho right flank of Chang Tso-Lin's troops by wedging in between the letters' front and Pekln. Feng Tuh-Slang, known aa tho "Christian general," la In command com-mand of Wu Pel Ku's operations near Pekln. ' Bombing Planes Defeat Gunboats SHANGHAI, April Zt (By tT. P.) The bombing planea defeated river gunboata In a battle at Canton, according accord-ing to dispatches from that city received re-ceived here today. Three planes or tho Canton govern, ment attacked nine warahlpa In the Parley river when the crewe were sua. pec ted of being sympatbetlo with the Pekln government. A direct hit waa scored on tho river em leer Hachl. The bomb killed twenty sailors and wounded thirty, and put the voseel out of action. Tha oth-era oth-era surrendered. This waa the first battle In history between air and water fleets. According to ths dispatches, nine warships were lying In the river whoa agents of President Bun Yat Sen wero eent to aak tha commanders to pledge neutrality during Sun Yat Ben's ox peditlon against Pekln. The fleet commander refused to pledge neutrality, and the Canton government thereupon demanded that the squadron be surrendered. This wss refused and ths gunboata cleared for action, evidently preparing to bombard Canton. Buddenly three bombing planes loomed Into view over tho vessels and commenced dropping explosives. All of tha bombs landed in the liver except tho one which hit tho Salchi. Thla burst with a terriflo explosion, tho dispatches said, partially wrecking , the boat, dismounting Ita guns and atrewing ita dock with dead and maimed, Rita of debris showered over the other eight gunboata. Tho war vessels were helpleoa agalnat ths aircraft, their guns being uaeleaa for high angle fire. As the air fleet pivoted and returned to tha attack, surrender signals wsro bolstod by tho whole fleet These gunboata were tho last of th Pekln government's navy. |