Peking, Apr. 2. Gen, Yen Hsi-shan issued to-day declaration announei Chief of the Chiness Army and avy and of the punitive expedition against the Nanking authori The contents of the declaration substantially read as follows:
1. Asspmir the position of Commander-in-Chief of the Chit Army and Navy, Gen. Yen Hsi shan has determined to see the early unification of. the country by advancing the southern expedition against the Nanking authorities.
2 Gen. Yen Hsi-shan shall be responsible for the <a% of foreign Taiyuanfu, state that the city was beflagged yesterday in celebra of General Yen Hsi-shan's assump-Hon of the post of "Commander-in-Chief of the Army, Navy and Air forees of the Republic."
In a circular telegram announcing churian troops under General are stated to be awaiting orders from Nanking to move towards Tientsin in order to menace the rear of the rebel forces, This concentration of Manchurian naval forces at Tsingtao, it is his assumption of this post, the reported, is part of the Govern Shansi leader declares that General ment's plan for a defensive cam: Chiang Kai-shek has done serious paign against the rebels, Since the jury to the Kuomintang because Shansi troops are advancing along. the "bribery, brigandage and the Tientsin-Pukow Railway, Gene otices due to his dictator: feral Chen Tiao-yuan's troops are being attributed to the Party." not expected to offer any. stilt The gist of General Yen's tele-resistance at Tsinan. It is stated as follow: that General Chen's troops are retirement Preparing to withdraw towards days later Chiang commenced a Tsingtao along the Kino-tsi Rail-punitive expedition against me. 1 ray. Tsinan is difficult to defend, then waited a score of days, hoping.
1 exposed to attack from that Chiang's conscience would in: fronts. If General Chen's duce him to amend his ways, but the troops can hold Tsingtao, however, soldiers and people urged' me not and keep the principal port of to rative and to take up command of Shantung in the hands of the an expedition against Chiang. For Government, the capture of Tsinan this reason T have taken the oath will bring little advantage to. the of office and I call on the entire rebels. For this reason, the Man-nation to rise up and expel Chian churian warships are being sent to Tsingtao to strengthen the Govern-'Wu Pei-fu in the Field ment defence there.
The first line of the Government's Nanking, Apr, 2.
Jdefence forces is locatal ut Yen-AccoPiing to the report of a Chi jehol, where the troops belong to nese paper, Gen. Wu Pelfu who the 2nd Division, under General hopes to improve Position in 'Ku Chu-tung, are' being alliance with Generals Yen Lis!
The first outbreak of shan and Feng Vu-hsiang, has suc-will probably. take place at ceeded in organizing two divisions, chow, where, it is estimated, about and has appointed Generals Kuo 50,000 Government soldiers are Taian and Chang—Yen-wen stationed. divisional commanders. His head-'The main body of the Govern quarters have hech established at ment troops on the Tientsin-Pukow. Suiting in Szechuan province, and Railway is at Hsuchowfu, he expects te commence operations important railway. junction. The:
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.