Shanghai, Dec. 23.
SUCCESS for the Government against the Reds in Anhwei was reported in reliable messages received in Shanghai yesterday. Meeting a band of the Communists near Shihkai, the Government forces immediately engaged them, inflicting heavy casualties and eventually driving them in a westerly direction.
Another Red force was reported to be moving to the west of Nan-ling on December 20.
The Government is sending more troops into the area, to bar the Reds' path to the Yangtze.
The Chinese warships sent to the scene on Friday continued their patrol yesterday, but the warning to shipping not to anchor between Buckmaster Island and Tatung, above Wuhu, was not withdrawn.
Anxiety over the safety of Brother Dunn, a missionary who had been expected in Wuhu and had not arrived, was dispelled yesterday when he reached the city. The situation in Wuhu itself was reported to be quiet yesterday. The American Consul, Mr, G. Atcheson, has returned to Nanking, from where he was sent on the news of the murder of Mr, and Mrs. J. C. Stam, Yangtze Shipping Warned Shanghai, Dee. 22 AMI shipping slong the Yangize hag been warned not to anchor be Hween 'Buckmaster. Island and. Ta-{ung, above Wahu, as a result of a threat to the rivet arising from the Communists in. southern Anhwei, Soho, It is feared, are coming north: Ward in' an attempt to eross into the northern part of the province. Five Chinese trolling the menaced area, bird, the USS.
warship are at Wuhu.
rhe situation in Wun itself is Disturbing stories are told by Fefugees arriving from the Interior, however, "The town of Lingyangehen has been looted by the Teds, and it elleved they will attempt, to tro the river, somewhere. In, the felghbouthood. of Tungling. Two Brigades of Government troops, have been sent to hold them back. " So of these troops have been landed at Tatung. and moved into. the interior from that point. "Others are stationed at'asingyong, Kinghalen, -Nanling and "Suangheng, The magistrate of Tatung is reporied to "have asked for_more, troops. from Nanking.
rhe Communist. bands who. were responsible for the shocking murder OFM and. Mrs. J.C. Stam Miaochiao, near Telngteh, the city which they were captured, are reported to be well armed and equip-pea Their mobility, Is proving Riteully to the Government troops pursuing them, since they can cover much og thirty miles during ingle night. Some concern Is felt in Wahu ito the safety. of Brother Dunn, a missionary who should have Feturned to the city but has not yet Putmough. they may have been re~ appearance.
infareed: by bandits and. other malcontents in the neighbourhood, it is for thought that the Reds n_south= "Annwel number more than bout 4000 to 6,000. They were formerly In_ the neighbourhood Taining, in Fukien, near the Kiangst banter." 'The drive by the Govern ment armies under Gen, Chiang Kal fok made that part of the country foo hot. and they. therefore moved northward into Chekiang, where they 'Were met by' the provincial forces and badly defeated, Thwarted in their attempt. to invade Chekiang, the eds turned northwards and crossed over. the Anhwei border, with the Fesults that have already been reported in this Journal, "The Reds now occupy an_ area in-chiding Tsingteh, Taiping, and Siu hing ili that province. ta this part of the province they have inaugur fled such a reign of terror that the Inhabitants have been redyeed to an Indescribable state of misery, but it not considered likely that they will be a serious menace to the larger cities in the province, in view of the precautions taken' by. the central and provincial governments.
A. Critical Situation, The situation on the Hunan, Kwangsi, and Kweichow border is also critical. There, about 40,000 Reds under Chu Teh, the notorious Com~ munist general, have been concen trated. They form the main body of the Red army that was driven out of Kiangsi by Gen. Chiang Kai-shek. As Aeseribed by the Canton correspond~ tent of this journal, they were forced into a trap in southern Hunan, and only through the inefficiency of the Kuangtung and Kwangsi commanders were they allowed o escape.
From this trap they drove into Kwangsi on two routes, the frst pointing towards Wuchow. and the second towards Kweilin. They were, however, turned back by the Kwangsi forces and were forced to retreat, after heavy losses, over the Hunan the" present moment, ccording to the latest surveys of the Hltuation, the Reds are concentrated {south-western Hunan, with an advance guard of about 5,000 men in Tiping, over the Kweichow border.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.