Telegrams dated' April 30 state that Tsinan was occupied on that slate by the Nationalist armies. The! combined forces of Generals Sung Liang-chen and Fang Chen-wa were used in this effort, the former approaching Tsinan by way of Chang-the latter by way of Chang-facilitate. the direction of various armies. General Chiang left Hsi chow for Yenchow on April 29, following his military conference with General Feng Vu-hsiang and expected to arrive at the Tsinan Japan Blocks Nationalists, The Middle Route Army of the Nationalists under General Liu Tze (ist Army) and General Koo Tsu-tung (ith Army) disarmed the remnants of the Northern troops in Taian on the same day, according to Nationalist reports. The Right Route Army under General Chen Tiao-yuan ent the Shantung Rallway at Lungshan and Mingshoi and threatened Tsinan on its southeastern side, 'A further message from the front is reported to state that the report that Tsinan had been captured by the Nationalists on the 28th is confirmed, but General Sung and the Kansu' cavalry were forced to retreat been use they were hopelessly out of connection with the remainder of the army.
'A curious tale comes from Peking to local Nationalists, It is to the effect that the Northerners lost Tsinan because, somewhere between Tsinan and Taian, the troops of: Marshal Chang Chung-chang and those of Marshal Sun Choan-fang entered upon a private war of their own. Marshal Sun's men attempted! to disarm Marshal Chang's men. When. these quarrelling northern armies fell back upon. Tsinan in disorder, the officials of that "ity! thought' that they. had been com pletely defeated, They therefore evacuated the place, which—the Southerners. took. without a. batt This story may be true, as there is no report of actual fighting in the of Tsinan during the past three days.
In spite of the capture of Tsinan by combined Nanking and Feng Yur hsiang forees there are only further reports of Marshal Feng Vu-hsiang's Fetreat into Honan, This. is not! readily explained in local well-informed quarters and adds another to the many mysteries of this war.
Tension in Tsingtao lews from Tsingtao says that it fe reliably reported from Tsinanfa that the Northern troops are falling hack from Taian, with the Southern troops advancing from Mingshui, The situation is described as. tense with a considerable exodus Chinese, including officials.—Most shops are now closed.
Marshal Chang Chang-chang and the Civil Governor are reported to have left Tsinanfu secretly for Lukow on April 2
Chefoo, May 1
Tt has been definitely confirmed that Tsinan has fallen into the Lands of the Nationalist forces Reuter.
Tokyo, May 1.
Nationalist troops operating in the Kiaochow-Tsinan Railway zone have actually cut the railway at two strategic points, Mingshui and Changtien, thus completely stopping transportation of Shantung troops on. the line, The Japanese soldiers, however, under pretext of protect= ing their nationals, are reported to be blocking the success of the Nationalists by attempting to keep the Railway in operation, It is feared that misunderstanding may arise frum this provocative notion on the part of Japanese troops.
Shunteh also Captured According to telegrams from Sinhsiang, the Second Group Army directed an attack on Shunteh, a main station north of Huntan on the Kin-Han Railway Line, and captured the city from the Fenge tien garrison, General Sun, in a telegraphic report to Commander-jo-Chief Chiang Kui-shek, stated that more than five thousand Fengtien troops were disarmed, and a Jarge quantity of arms and aremunition was also captured.—Kuo Min,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.