An official scoount of the operations of the Japanese Army up to reads as follows the troops belonging to the independent 18th Division was commenced at Lungkow on September They pushed towards Tsimo, but) their advance was most seriously hampered owing to a storm which continued unabated for day after day, turned reads into muddy swamps, caused rivers to inundate the whole countryside, and rendered it extremely difficult, at times impossible, to continue the landing) operations.
"In order to overcome to some extent this unexpected check to the advance of the Imperial force, a portion of the division was sent. oversea from Lungkow to Laosbanwan, where they landed on September 18. Pursuing a small force of the enemy, this detachment occupied the heights to the south-west of Wangkashan. Meanwhile, the) main force of the division that had been landed at Lungkow never relaxed its efforte to continue its advance in spite of bad roads and privations, being forced at times to rely mainly on the resources of the districts it passed through As a result of its praiseworthy perseverance it was able to move slowly but steadily, so that, by September 14, the cavalry vanguard reached Tsimo, while an advance party of infantry got there on September 18.
"Thanks to the movement of troops by these two different routes, the initial stage of the strategic movement against Tsingtao was carried out successfully, and the main part of the division concentrated in the neighbourhood of Tsimo by September 25. About this time, the vanguard of the division came into conflict with weak parties of the enemy along the line between Taulin and Lun-shut ai. The enemy wi important points sla: running from the heights to the 415 south of Lushanku vid to the vicinity of Lungkow (not the port of that name where the troops were landed.) With the object of attacking the enemy the movement of our troops was commenced on febtiog our force dislodged the September 36, and after come slight
enemy from his positions and push-
"Our force was now in a position to deliver an attack upon the enemy holding the line of advanced between Kashan and The attack wae commenced during the night of the 27th. It was our intention to complete the occupation of the enemy's position by the 29th, but the fighting actually developed very rapidly owing to the gallant conduct of our officers and men under a galling fire. The German positions were in our hands by roon on the 28th, During this action, the enemy tried hard to check the advance of our troops by means of cannonading. Three German warships in the harbour of Kiaochou were particularly annoying to the right flank and rear of our division, seriously obstructing the advance of our troops.
"Our aeroplanes have been engaged in scouting since September 21. They have carried out hazardous flights, attacking the enemy' warships with explosives gnd brave ing furious firing by the enemy. The land transport corps has rendered signal service not inclement weather men and material at its disposal.
"The health of the. troops is generally good, there being few cases of sickness. This is indeed remarkable considering the extremely unfavourable climatic conditions, the sudden change of surroundings, the overtaxation of their energy, their privations and their want of sleep.
"The strength of the enemy that faced us in the last mentioned action was about 1,000 infantry with over ten land guns, several machine guns and three warships. We cap-turned about sixty prisoners, four guns, some rifles, and " quantity of fodder. During the progress of the fighting, our fleet bombarded the enemy's forts at Tsingtao, This doubtless contributed greatly to the success of our ion. The British contingent arrived on the battlefield on September 98.
This is an outline of the movements of our forces up to the end of September. The resisting power of the enemy at his second line of defence having been crushed, the way was opened for undertaking investment operations.
Campaigning in Bad Weather, The bad weather referred to in the above report recommenced on October 15, the day I visited the outposts as described in my last letter, and has continued since. It
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.