Authoritative circles here declare that Mr. Horinouchi is reported to have given assurances fo M. Arsene Henry regarding the security of French ships on the Yangtze—Havas. troops via the Peiping-Hankow Railway is held by well-informed observers in both Peiping and Tientsin.
'The Japanese, it is slated, have not advanced beyond Changieh, in north Honan, where operations have been at a' standstill for several weeks. In addition, the Japanese troops in Shansi province are reported to be on the defensive of present about thirty miles south of Taiyuanfu, A Japanese military spokesman has admitted that the Japanese forces in Shansi are insuicient to take the southern alt of the province, Meanwhile, attacks by Chinese' flying columns on the Peiping-Hankow. Railway up to pointe within twenty Hankow, Dec, 18.
The Chinese forces will probably make a firm stand at Hsuchow, the, important city at the junction of the tientsin-Pukow and Lunghai railways, should the Japanese advance north= ward along the Tientsin-Pukow Rallway from Pukow or push southward across the Yellow River via Tsinan, according to Chinese reports received here to-day, Hsuchow is at present the headquarters of the famous Kwangsi Neader, Gen, Li Teung-jon, who I commander-in-chief of the Chinese forces on the Tientsin-Pukow Railway front, Besides soverat divisions of Central Government troops, as well as divie sions which withdrew from the Nanking area, the Chinese troops on this front include three Kwangsi divisions which have not yet seen action, A. strong defence fine, on which' the authorities have been working for several years, has been prepared slong the Lunghai Railway.
Travellers through Hsuchow have witnessed remarkable order and or ganization in that city. Under the Girection of Gon. Li Tsung-jen, all able-bodied men are undergoing military training. tu addition, trains fare running through Hsuchow on /schedule, while there is no confusion fu the platforms, in distinct contrast with the considerable confusion in other military bases.—Reuter Fouowine their capture of Nanzing district, south of Tathu Lake, Japanese troops seized from a well known family a rare collection of books including a complete set of Sze-ku-plyiao and other classics of Sung and Yuan printings, states a report to the "Hwa Mel Pao."
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.