Chihli-Shantung: Advance Led Into a'Trap: Vigorous Fighting, for Hsuchowft Northern Claims 'Shantung forces in the Lung-Hai Railwey region, while advancing with redoubled strength, have been eaught'in a trap of Marshal Feng's, and have again suffered a heavy reverse. Tan-shan has fallen into the hands 'Marshal Feng'
ith Chil Kaocheng is surrounded by! General Feng's army. General Chu} Vu-pu, the Field Commander-in-Chief of the Chibli-Shantung combined forees, retreated to Hsuchowfu the day before yesterday.
However, none of Feng's forces have as" yet penetrated into Shantung Province, and both Tsung. chow and Chining are still held by Shantung troops.
In the region of the Tientsin-_ Pukow Railway, part of the Southern forces are at Kuchen, The Chihli-Shantung troops and General Sun. Chuan-fang's men are defendig Hsuchow in ce-operation, and, Marshal Chang" Chung-chang, and] Generals Hsu Kun and Cheng Chun-yen are personally directing these} troops.
'AS the situation is extremely unfavourable to forces, Marshal Sun Chuo expected to leave here for Hau-chow fu in a day or two—Tokio, Peking, Dee. 4.
According to the Northern claims Hauchowfu was endangered a week! ago but Northern counter-attacks repulsed the Southerners and the Northerners recaptured Nansuchow id Kuchen, the Southerners with-Growing to the south of the Huai River and concentrating at Pengp\ The latest news of Feng Yu-Lafung's forces is that they _are fighting in the vicinity of Kueiteh.
Chang Chung-chang's Severe Defeat!
-Tientsin, Dee. 6. ago, when a detachiftnt of Nanking forces entered the city on the morning of November 25, following the flight of the routed troops of San Ghuanfang: "But owing to the Sodden withdrawal of the' North-Western army on. the Lunghai line Und the timely arrival of the enemy forces under the personal command]
Chang Chung-chang—the Na king forces had to abandon the city and retreated southward to Suchow.
"The fall of the city this time was the direct result of the series of Victories scored once more against the Shantang-Chihli armies during the past weeks. Following' upon the withdrawal of the Northwestern army into Honan, the Chibli-Shantang forces advanced as. {ar again onthe Lunghai line as Liuho, where on the 25th a severe battle was waged" between the enemy forces Under Chu Vu-pa, Hsu Yvon-hauen fand Wang Tong and the main route farmy the Northwestern forces, On the 27th, the Shantung-Chinli forces commenced. their retreat' toward Northern Kiangse, with the Northwestern army once again hot their heels, Bot wha was a more important victory was nined by the Left Route Army, under General Liang-zung in the chen, The enemy commande Hung-chuen, wes captored and his army (the 13th Shantung-Chihli army) entirely routed. General Sun then wheeled his army southward, fand by series of flank movements fand encirclement, he defeated the enemy forces stationed. at various points in between Kaochen and Hau-how.. With the Main Route Army capturing Tangshan on the Longhal Tine, opportunity. was given him to deacond on Hsuchow.. This aurprite tack was unexpected by the enemy} oon and the cit fell on the rd, After short and brisk fighting.—Kuo tin.
Information received here from trustworthy sources confirms the news that Marshal Chang Chung-chang has suffered a severe reverse the neighbourhood of Hsuchowfu. The Chihli-Shantung headquarters staff claims, however, that the! Northern forces still "hold Hsuchow fa, The Prime Minister, Mr. Pan Fu, leaving Peking to-night for Shantung in accordance with instructions received from Generalissimo Chang Tao-lin—Reuter.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.