Hankow, June 26.
With the Japanese landing large bodies of troops at Tikang and Hsiangkou, south-east of Tungfiu, near the Matang boom, the scene of major Sino-Japanese fighting has now shifted to the south bank of the Yangtze River.
According to the latest official Chinese report from the front, the Chinese, after being heavily reinforced, have inflicted a severe defeat on the Japanese at Hsiangkou, The Japanese are claimed to be in full retreat following a Chinese counter-attack, which has hitherto resulted in the capture of Hsiangkou.
A Chinese military communique says that 30 motor launches loaded with Japanese troops attempted to effect a landing in the vicinity of Tungliu yesterday morning, but were repulsed.
At the same time, the Japanese forces at Tikang are said to have attacked the Chinese positions on the hills at Niushiehlin and Laohutou without success.
Twenty Japanese warships are stated to be concentrated at present at Tikang to support Japanese landing operations. Tatung, on the south bank of the Yangtze, was heavily shelled by three Japanese gunboats yesterday, after which eight Japanese aeroplanes raided Fanchang, east of Tikang.
Bitter fighting is reported to be going on at Matang, on the Yangtze, and also at Hsiangshan, east of Matang, according to a statement by the Chinese military spokesman today. Japanese troops at Hsiangshan, the spokesman declared, are occupying positions to the north-east of the town, while the Chinese forces are situated to the south-west of Hsiang-shan.
The Chinese, the spokesman went on, are "attacking vigorously," in an attempt to prevent the Japanese from establishing a foothold on the south bank of the Yangtze.—Reuter.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.