The Japanese forces appear to aim at pushing on due south from Lingyi, through Tancheng, in order to cut the Lunghai Railway at Sinanchen, near the border of Kiangsu and Shantung provinces.
If this move is successful, not only will it mean that the Lunghai Railway has finally been cut in one place by the Japanese, but it will also present a serious threat to the Chinese right flank should the Japanese then turn west and advance along the oilway towards Hsuchow, The Chinese forces to the east of Taierchwang would thereby be compelled to fall back towards the Grand Canal.
These forces may indeed be forced to fall back anyway, for the Japanese are now furiously attacking Taier-
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.