Changteh is no stranger to attack from rabble armies. Some twelve! years ago that fine walled city on the Yuan "River was actually captured and blackmailed by a bandit-horde.
to be hoped that with more of cient means of protection and a respirit in command it will able effectively to withstand such attacks as Ho Lung's forces may be disposed to launch against it. For Some time that renegade officer General Chiang Kal-shek's former command has made his headquarters in the area near where the provinces of Hunan, Hupeh and Szechuen meet. His present move eastward apparent intention to capture Chang-feb and get to the bank of the Yar tae may be nothing more than outcome of a desire to create a diversion in favour of the hardly-pressed Reds in Szechuen. Although Ho! Lung has not actualy made contact with the former Kiangsi Reds recent months during their pere-gunations through Hunan, Kwel-chow, Yunnan and Szechuen, he has probably been kept closely informed of the general progress of events. He may consider that, by delivering his threat to North Hunan, he will draw of Government troops and so cause a relaxation of the present pressure which is reported tol the bbe so severely harassing the Reds in the mountainous districts south-west of Sungpan. He has scored a success taking Tsingshih. The latest news of prompt despatch of troops from Shasi_and the preparations made in Changteh suggest that he may not find much scope for a demonstration of any real weight, Nor does it seem probable that he can approach very close to the Yangtze in its present flooded condition in the area between Shasi and Changteh.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.