Peking, Apr. 19.
Tt has been known that for some days Marshal San Chuan-fang, operating betveoen the Grand Canal, and the Yellow River, has been advancing south in an endeavour cut the Lung-Hai Railway near Kueiteh and then, turning east, to armies which are at present advan {into Shantung along the Tientsin-Pukow line, This risky operation has completely failed.
Foreign messages show that while 'Marshal Sun was pressing south he' id not leave sufficient forces "to guard his lank: hence Marshal Feng! Vu-hsiang,, advancing north-east from Kaifeng towards Yenchowfu, Seized the opportunity to cut Sun's communications.
After fighting at Kuyueh the Kuominchup advanced and occupied Tsining on April 17. One of Sun's armicé, under General Li Pao-chaing, was annihilated. The whereabouts of the remainder of his forces is not known, but some of them are believed tobe-at Yutai.
ing caused the Shantung forces to The Kuominchun capture of Tsinwithdraw along the Tientsin-Pukorv ie. They fell back on Tsowhsien on April 17 but, being partly sur. wounded there, fell back again on April 18 on Yenchow.
The annihilation of one Northern army near Tsining by the Kuominchun meant an estimated loss. of The severe defeat inflicted on Marshal Sun's forces which forced Marshal Chang Chung-chang to retreat to Yenchow will probably result in an endeavour on his part to concentrate at Taianfo, but he may be compelled to fall back north ofthe Yellow River.
The Nationalists claim to have captured 30,000 prisoners in the reent fighting but it is understood from a reliable source that. they have also. suffered severe. losses, General Chiang. Kal-shek's armies alone losing approximately 20,000 zen killed and wounded in the 36 hours" fighting which preceded the capture of Lincheng on the Poni North of the Yellow River Marshal Feng has captured Changteho, on the Peking-Hankow Railway, and Tamingfa. The Fengtien forces are withdrawing along the Poking-Hankow Railway—Reuter.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.