Hankow, Sept. 16.
Severe fighting is ranging on the road between Singtze and Tehan, as the Japanese make a determined drive toward the latter place, Chinese reports state.
The intensity of the battle is indicated by a Chinese communique saying that 2,000 Chinese soldiers fell at Sikungling during three days, when Japanese troops made 16 assaults.
Chinese army corps division commanders are personally directing operations from points only a half mile behind the front line trenches. Chinese forces are now holding positions west of Yaikoc.
Chinese despatches also state that the Japanese forces in south-east Honan are converging on Huangehuan (Kwangchow) in two columns.
The main body from Kushih is stated to have crossed the Peilu and Huang rivers and to be approaching -Huangchuan from the east, while another column, advancing westward along the Hwai River, is said to-have reached Changlingtsi and Hwaifengisi, north-east of Huangchuan, in an attempt to outüank the Chinese defenders, In noth-east Honan, a Japanese column from Taikang is reported to have crossed the Chialu River, reaching Kuchen, east of Hsuchang.
At the same time, Chinese despatches state that another Japanese column is trying to cross the Chialu iver south-east of Chowkiakow—
Reuter.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.