Hankow, Apr. 9.
Revewing the battle for Taicrchan, General Chen Chen, Minister of Poco] Affairs of the National Militar, Council and concurrently Garrise Commander of the Wuhan area, Qclared today that, according to repots so far received, the bodies of betwen 5,000 and 6.000 Japanese soldiers had been left on the battlefield together with 1,000 wounded men The rounded, he said, were im a very picul plight. They had been without medical attention and food for fividays, but were now being given mention by the Chinese medical cor. In addition, he went on, 1,000 Jéunese troops had surrendered. Sit} field pieces, 40 tanks and over 1 motor-cars and trucks, he claime¢ were among the war spoils capture by the Chinese.
Success Described bene! Cher Chen attributed the succes} of the Chinese to several things:
1. T? bravery of the small Chinese force; Taierchwang, which held on to thei positions despite terrific losses. of the chinese to attack the Japanese Nerep giving time for the main body forces the Taierchwang area. from two inks.
2. "e cleverness of the Chinese commid in concealing the movements and t strength of Chinese wings.
3. te help given by Chinese mobile coinns in "systematically destroying Commmications behind the Japanese ines, thereby cutting off Japanese reinfeements and supplies Geral Chen Chen paid a special tribe to the 31st Division under the comnnd of General Sun Lien-chung, whic he said, had defended Taierchwang for five days had not yield ground although it had lost 70 +80 per cent, of its strength.
T) victory at Taierchwang, GeneraDhen declared, had increased the mole of the Chinese Army on all fros and the confidence of the Chinespublic. This, he believed, would rest in an earlier termination of modities than had been previously calilated, Hankow Bulletin apanese reinforcements from Yih-have joined forces with the Jainese troops who fled in a north-early direction from Taierchwang," so; an official military dispatch receed here this evening. The Japanes forces originally stationed at Ysien, have advanced southward in oer to reinforce the Japanese ades. c SEEMS Ni nmn tenants retreating from the Taier-chang area and now scattering tim selves in the hilly regions in the vanity of Yihsien. "These isolated nits," it adds, "are being hammed in y the Chinese."
"Fierce fighting" says another regt, "broke out last night in the Duntainous regions north-west of hsien, and was still in progress this tening.
"The Japanese remnants which fled orth-westward from Taierchwang,"
Chinese detachment advanced to the neighbourhood of the east gate of Tsinan. At the same time, the Chinese forces at Taian advanced eastward, destroying many sections of the Paoshan-Laiwu highway, and another detachment advanced towards Yenchow.
The Chinese troops at Chiehho are reported to have advanced in a south-easterly direction and to have reached Tsitsun, a village north-east of Tsaochwang. Another Chinese detachment is said to be pressing on towards Lincheng.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.