Tsinan, Jan, 14.
A direct hit by a Chinese field-gun shell on the German church in Tsining on January 11 resulted in heavy. demage'to the building and death to four Chinese refugees within, ace the cording to a report received there to-day by the Japanese military thorities.
Early that morning, the message said, Japanese troops occupied the town's northewestern and south gales. The same afternoon, Chinese field artillery launched an intensive bombardment of the south gate, hitting the neighbouring church. Domei, Line", along the Lunghai Railway. {from north and south, The Kurabayashi detachment, drive ing northward along the Tsinpi line, to-day prepared for a swoop upon the eastern section of the Lunghai Railway. After decimating about, 6,000 Chinese soldiers in the hilly district north-east of Chuyi, the detachment has reached Lake Hungtze, on the western border of Kiangsu province.
Japanese units advancing southward were, meanwhile, steadily nearing the Lunghai line from three directions.
The main. body of this force was advancing along the Tientsin-Pukow Tine, easily crushing Chinese resist~ ance.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.