The Battle for the Island From Our Own Correspondent.
Kachek, Hainan, Your correspondent has been silent several years; absent on furlough part of the time, and on returning the political situation was too kaleidoscopic to report. fu this respect, I ath convinced however, that Hainan is not peculiar.
In Kachek during the past twelve months, we have seen soldiers, first of the "people's army" under Chen; these were driven out by Kuangsi troops; the latter were replaced by quite gentle Yunnanese soldiers, and these in turn were succeeded by Kuangtung men under Kuangsi leadership, and then latterly the people's army returned from their retreat in the fastnesses of the southern interior, and all other soldiers fled from before them, mostly under cover of night. At present twelve and a half districts of the 13 which comprise the island, own the rule of Chen Ki-zee Waving the cities of Kiungchow and Hoihow in possession of the Cantonese. Matters have been complicated by the arrival of Lee Fuh-lung with his men from Euichow. Since all of these men are from the province of Kuangtung, it seems to be merely a question of which one shall rule the island. A battle was fought early in October after 30 hours of fighting, Chen was unable to enter the gates of Kiungchow and withdrew to a line several miles distant.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.