Peking, May 25.
The military authorities here announce that General Yen Hsi-shan and Marshal Feng Vu-hsiang order. ed a general offensive to be commenced on May 23 by their com posite army, which is claimed to total 200,000 men, without counting General Wan Hsuan-tsai's and General Sun Tien-ying's covering troops.
It is stated that the advance com menced at dawn on Friday and view of the fact that Nanking's principal forces have been heavily engaged for the past fortnight, are tired and have fow reserves, decisive results are expected almost mediately."
Chinese newspapers state that the Northern troops have keen ordered to rupture Chowehiakow, on the Tasha-ho, in eastern Honan, and shan, east of Kueiteh, before, Sunday, and Hsuchowfa and Sin-yangchow before next Friday Peking, May 25.
It is. reported in well-informed circles that the Kuominchun forces stationed at Tungkuan have been building a pontoon bridge across the Yellow River at Fonglingta, in wuthern Shansi, where the water is id to be shallow at this time of the year.
It is further reported that, in the event of the collapse of the Northerners in Honan, the Kuominchun, instead of withdrawing into Shensi and Kansu beyond the Great Wall, will enter Shansi where food will be more plentiful during the winter. Kuo Min,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.