"As the purposes of the operations ave' now been accomplished, it longer necessary. for oUF troops operate under the guns of the enemy fleet, and in accordance with the general'strategie plan our forces retired by stages 10 our first defen ive line.
"fin the past few weeks our army rented the world to the spectacle fof an army with no guns. heavy enough {o make an impression on the armoured "naval" vessels of the enemy, holding outposts on the coast for three, weeks, and inflicting well ay sustaining' heavy easuai~
According to an announcement by Chinese military headquarters Nanking and issued through Reuters he" Chinese. withdrawal wes orderly ind fs reported to have followed the complete derlition of hastily erected temporary defence works after three reeks of merciless" Joponese acral, Briley. and naval bombardment Jthe decision "Yo. withdraw was Teached on Sunday hight. and Wat serried. out yesterday morning. says Jie"Snnouncement, "without" lose find ina. very orderly" manner Meanwhile, Japanese troops" are reported 10" be. advancing "cautiously are said to have. reached Civic Centre. yesterday stternoon.
The New Li Tre Chinese (rope proximately five kilometres the old Tine at the "International Municipal "Centre ie. Settlement Chinese forces are at present. hold Ing a. new line running almost straight from the North Station—long Patseehiao Tachang. and]
The new tne, in the opinion of Chinese circles, will afford" better ce-ordination of the Chinese units various sectors and also. avoid the heavy gunfire "from Japanese warships.
'Chinese officials in Shanghai _yesterday confirmed the withdraveal of trooper' from Yuehpu and. the Civic Centre "in" conformity. with the eneral battle Tine, it being effected Smoothly without "any. interference! from the enemy. While "the new Chinese positions were not officially Fevealed, i is believed the line now! extends" from Chapel to Liuho {through Kiangwan and Lotien, leav-Jing the coast' in Japanese. hands.
'Small "detachments of Chinese! troops were noted to be evacuating the tio. points on Saturday when! serious. fighting raged at Yanghang 'According toa" Chinese military' spokesman, the order to retire from [Yoekpu' to take "up new. positions was given on Sunday. Contact, $d, was "quickly made the: ther units on both flanks.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.