Yangtze Back to Normal:
Township Wiped Out by Communists: Ningkuofu in Danger Shanghai, Dec. 25, JOUGH the Communists in southern Anhwei have met wit several defeats at the hands of the Government troops and are reported to be making for the hilly country round Chiuhwashan, about ten miles north-west of Lingyangchen, fears are still entertained that they may attempt to cross the Yangtze somewhere between Tatung and Anking, and precautions already taken have been redoubled.
Reports of the Reds' movements in the interior of the province are conflicting. It appears, however, that their main body is still in the neighbourhood of Lingyangehen, "al bout 4,000 strong, with 3,000 rifles. The area enclosed 1 a triangle between Ningkuofu, Kinghsien, and Tsingteh is believed still to hold ab ott 400 Communists.
Reports from Nanling state that the Government troops engaged about 1,000 Communists near Lingys rang chen, driving them back towards Shihtai and Taiping. Unconfirmed reports from the same area describe the Communist threat to Ningkuofu as serious, Plain clothes Reds have entered the city and the Commissioner xf Civil Affairs is said to have been assassinated It is not believed tnat the Reds are there in any force, however.
White Chinese gunboats are still patrolling the Yangtze, to prevent an Ritempt by the Communists. to cross, FERNS. Ladybird has been sent Tatung to safeguard British shipping should anything occur along the banks of the river, FERNS. Gnat has arrived at Wuhu, where all the missionaries the south of Anhwei have been concentrated.
In view of the possibility that the: Reds will succeed in crossing the iver, precautions are being taken for the sktety of missionaries on the nort Bank, Tt is learned that most British, missionaries in the danger zone are at Anking, which is considered quite, sate, A Miss D. M. Hinckel Is at Pung Cheng, about 36 miles north of Anking.
Phe Notorious 14
The chiot threat to Changteh, the Hunan city near the Tungting Lake. comes from Ho Lung, the notorious Red leader, who has been on the Kweichow border and is holding, captive. Messrs. Hayman and Boss~ hard, members of the China Inl Mission. With Ho Lung is Hsito Ko, Another notorious leader, who broke {hrough the Government cordons im. Kiangsi and managed to join forces with Ho Long a few weeks agp already have deen wang teh as a precautionary the city is reported to be quiet. Th Reds in north-western Hunan up to now have not shown any signs of threatening the Yangtze.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.