May 25.
One soldier was killed and two were captured by the bandits in the fighting yesterday. It is believed that the farmers also fired to protect their crops.
Mr. Rowlatt writes that the bandits are distinctly uneasy at the long drawn-out negotiations. He believes that they would be just as glad to see the backs of the prisoners as the latter would be to get away. The bandits believe that there will be developments within three days and are awaiting @ further reply from the Chinese gentry before coming to Tsaochuang to negotiate.
Foreign observers in Tsaochuang believe that there has been a partial split between the old. and young elements in the bandit camp. The former do not want incorporation in the army owing to. their past records being known,' while, the latter wish to become soldiers as their career is before them. This indecision hampers negotiations and until a definite split occurs delay in the release of the captives is unavoidable.—Reuter.
Soldiers' Activities-
May 26.
It seems evident that the recent conferences at Peking have had the effect of putting the soldiers down here on their mettle, and they are determined that no more stray bands of brigands shall make their way into Paotzeku. The firing on Thursday night and Friday morning is now stated to have been the result of one or more of these isolate ed bands coming up against the cordon around the hills.
Early on Thursday evening. the firing was to the north of Tsao-chuang and, unlikely as it was, the explanation given was that the bandits were trying to make their way past the soldiers and into the -higher ranges by Paotzeku. On Friday morning, just before daybreak, there was further firing, this time only about three miles down the railway line towards Lincheng. This is in an opposite direction to the bandit stronghold and so lends colour to the theory that it was a stray band. It is confirmed that one soldier was killed and two captured by the bandits.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.