Hongkong, Feb. 8.
Marshal Li Chi-sen, ex-military and civil administrator of Canton, said to have arrived here, accord ing to a reliable source. His return to South China no sense an escape from his confinement in, Nanking, but is is stated that the military authorities in the capital asked him to come south in order persuade the Kuangsi militarists from waging further war" against the central government, 'The Marshal, it will be remembered, was formerly the head of the Kuangsi clique which composed of Li Chung-jen, Huang, Shao-hsiung,, and Pei Chung-hsi, 'These three generals are still powerful in' Kuangsi and are actively leading inst the Canton and Nanking troops.
Marshal Li's job said, to get the Kuangsi men to obey' the order of the Na-anal Government, As Li Chi-sen is the virtual leader of the Kuang: party, it is possible that he will able to bring about a cessation of the civil war in South China, The war. between Kuangtung and Kuangsi has been going on for two months, and while the Kuangtung troops have captured—Wuchow, a port in Kuangsi, they have failed to gain further headway inland, Two route armies are engaged in the campaign against the Kuangsi remnants, 'The 8th route army is ed by General Chen Chi-tang. of Canton and the Gth route army' is commanded by General Chu Shao-liang who was sent down from Nanking. These two armies are fighting not only the Kutngsi rebels, but have to face the Ironsides. These soldiers at first, attempted to drive General Chen Chi-tang out of Wuchow, bat finding the city too well defended and fortified they have marched down southeast with a view to capturing one of the se ports in southern Kuangtung. The Tronsides badly need a seaport as a receiving debit for arms, ammunitions and. aeroplanes from outside Places, instead of being hemmed in by mountainous districts and unproductive regions. These soldiers are row in Kuangsi, but are said to be fed-up with the poor province. Therefore they want to come back to their native Kuangtung by any means, 'According to an Ironsides _commander in Hongkong, the writer Tearns that there are' about 50,000 mercenary soldiers in southern Kuangtung ready to ce-operate with General Chang Fa-kuei when his men reach those places. Chan object is to seize a port in southern Kuangtang and then capture the coast tawns in the eastern regions. After taking several cities and towns outside of the province, they will surround Canton, From their recent attack on the southern capital the Ironsides generals found out that it was too well - fortified and had become unassailable, Basy communication and full supply of provisions to the Canton troops are factors in their favour. So the Tronsides will frst take the districts outside Canton and surround the ity later.
The campaign against the Kuangsi militarists bears very little fruit of success, The Cantonese troops are handicapped by the cold weather in Kuangsi coupled with the fact they do not know very well the topography of the province. Furthermore, the natives of Kuangsi treat all outsiders as invaders and refuse to give support to the Kuangtung and northern troops. Many of the natives of Kuangsi are semi-barbarians, some of whom still retain long hair as in the days of the Tang and Soong dynasties. They are so hostile to the troops from Canton and Nanking that the latter are sometimes disarmed by the native volunteers and.guards, Two regiments of Canton troops' lost their way in the interior of Kuangsi last week and were immediately disarmed by the natives.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.