The troops under General Shih Vu-san, which mutinied on Decem~ ber 2 at Pukow, are digging in Ninhusikuang, 2 place south of Pengpu on the Huai River. The] rebels have blown up several railway bridges south of Ninhuaikuang to prevent the Government armoured trains from advancing up the railway. There have been no serious "engagements on this front, only ceasional skirmishes between opposing groups in plain clothes.
Several days ago the Government soldiers at Chuchow arrested a spy. This man was sent by the rebels at Pengpu, where the main forces of General Shih's troops are stationed, to find out, the number of Government troops stationed along the railway from Chuchow to Pukow. He was promised $100 for the job, and received $20 when he left for points further south. The rebels were to pay him the balance upon his return to Pengpu with the desired informa. tion, Ills movements at the rail way stations and military camps however, aroused the suspicion of the soldiers and some beans, peanuts and needles wore found' in his pockets which were believed to be his "memoranda" of the number of troops stationed at various places. He was promptly shot, Gen, Shih's Peace Offering Travellers are very much impressed by the good discipline of the: Government soldiers at the front. Villagers have not been molested by. those soldiers. Although some of them have not yet received their September pay and had to remain on duty day and night in the tron-ches. in. the recent severe snowstorms, they are in excellent spirits.
When General Shin's troops] mutinied at Pukow, they carried away with them as high military officer, $500,000 for his roleos ago, however, General Shi family gave up the hostage and the Tatter Was asked by the rebel I to inform General Chiang Kai chairman of the National Go ment, that the troops muni against his (General Shih's) wisha: and that General Shih remained loyal to General Chiang and the Central Government.
Whether the Government will accept this "pence ing will send an expedition up the railway as soon as General Tang Sengchi's troops on the Peking-Hankow Railway are rounded up, remains to be seon.—Reuter, Han Fu-chu Holding Chengchow Chengchow, Dee. 21.
The major portion of General Han Fu-chu's forces is now in complete} control of Chengchow and the surrounding districts.
The Tengfong-Linju sector has likewise been occupied by the troops under General Hsu Yuan-chuan and Wang Chin-yoh. Further south. along the Peking-Hankow Railway the division under Generals Wang Chun and Fong. Ting-ying have taken up their positions in Sinchenge This completes an enveloping movement against the rebel forees under Tang Song-chi who is stated to have fixed his headquarters at Hsuchang.
The Government " forees under General Lis "Tou-yin have advanced to Sniping. The offensive against Tang Song-chi will be launched immediately—Kuo Min.
Blow to" Kuominchun Hopes Peking, Dee. 22.
It appears that the circular telegram sent out by Generals Yen Hsi-shan, Chang Hsueh-liang and others thas dealt a death-blow to the activities of ithe Kuominchun troops, which had renewed their efforts to occupy Central China, following the example of Tang Song-chi troops taking advantage of General Yen Hsi-shan's non-interference policy.
General Ma Hang-tah and his son, who have joined in the circular telegram dispatched by Generals Yon' Hsi-shan, Chang Hsueh-liang and others are now in Hsuchow, threaten-log to occupy the regions between Kaifeng and Pengpu. The troops under the command of General Han Fu-chu are aligned in the neighbourhood of Kueiteh, Kaifeng and Changchow, while the attitude of Generals Han Fu-chu and Hsi Yufan towards General Yen Hsi-shan unknown. The Government forces are prepared both for war peace, and under the circumstances, it appears that the Kuominchun forces. will be obliged to remain quiet—Rengo.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.