The political atmosphere haa thickened considerably. About the time that Liu I-chin was preparing! to leave the city, he received wire from Gen. Lai Hsin-hue, of Luchow, to hold tight, as Lai was on his way towards the capital to help the Governor. This put Gen, Den Chi-hao in rather a precarious position, because he was some &0 or 90 li outside opposing Brig.-Gen. Lan, who with Liu I-chin's troops was holding him in check. Gen. Dan threw out a strong rearguard and worked his main budy out to the north road, thas extricating himself from an uncomfortable position where he was almost nipped between the pincers formed by Gens, Lan and Lai.
Gen. Chen Kuo-dong then moved round to Tsinochin and cut Liu I-chin's rear line of communications. This place is Liu's home, and had been strongly guarded, as an avenue. for retirement, and with this cut off, Liu I-chin now has only the Kuanhsien road and the mountains for retirement, if he must retire. The big north road is covered with the advancing troops of Liu Chen-hao, who, with five fresh divisions, is bearing on the capital with the appointment from Peking in his pocket, and a}so the provincial seals, which he carried off three years ago.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.