Japanese troops are closing a ring round Chinese soldiers concentrated on the Shantung border near Payits!, about $0 kin. east of Hsuchow on {he Lunghai line, a Peiping despateh said, The Lunghai Railway now has been cut by Japanese northern and south-fern forces at four points.
'A southern column cut the line near Neihwang, twelve kin. southeast of Lanfeng, on Saturday night. Another southern column cut the rail road by blowing up the "Wangehi ridge, east of Tangshan, on Satur-
Northern forces severed the railway twelve kin. west of Sinanchen on Saturday morning, and at Paoche, 21 kin. west of Sinanchen, on Sunday night. Sinanchen Is 107 kin. east of Hsuchow.
'A. Jepanese detachment driving south took Sinhotao on the eastern bonk of the Grand Canal, eight kin. southwest of Kwanhu, while the centre units of the northern forces continued to push southward on a line between Hanchwanag and Taierchwang.
Part of the 400,000 Chinese troops which had been entrenched along a 120 kin, front north of Hsuchow from that elly to Sinanchen started to retreat on Saturday morning, despatches from the northern front said.
Some were said to, be retreating] westward along the Lunghai line while others were moving to the southwest.
The Chiinese Version Hankow, May 16.
Sanguinary fighting Is in progress. south of the Lunghai railway, where Chinese forces are battling des berately with their backs to the railway in an effort to check the JJapanese advance, according to the atest Chinese despatches from the 'One Japanese column, with its base Jat Yungeheng, is said to be moving Ju the direction of Tangshan, on the [Lunghat line west of Hsuchowfu, and Janother, based at Shihkungshan, south-east of Yungeheng, is reported to be pushing northward' towards the railway.
At the same time, Chinese sources state, the Japanese' column which loceypied Tsaochwfu has continued its march southward towards the Vanguards comprising Japanese Jcavalry units are stated to have appeared in the vicinity of Tingtao and Tsachsien, two cities south of Tsa0-
Tsaohsien is close to the Lunghai Railway north of Liuho and north-[west of Kweiteh.
(Meanwhile, despite wild rumours Jconcerning the situation at Hofei, strategic city in north-west Anhwei, Jon the north-west shore of the Chao [Lake, Chinese circles emphatically state' that the city is still in Chinese hands despite repeated Japanese assaults, Moreover, they add, a Chinese fying colum has occupied Chao-fission, on the east shore of the Chao Lake, Fighting is said to be taking lace at present at Paotingkan vill Jeast of Chaohsien, Part of the Chinese forces now in [Chaobsien are said to be turning westward to attack the rear of the [Japanese troops now besieging Hotel.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.