Venice, Apr. 23.
Prince Paul, Regent of Yugoslavia, will pay an official visit to Rome in the second half of A Authoritative quarters here are fully satisfied by the results of the conversations between the Italian and Yugoslav Foreign Ministers, which ended here today.
The friendship between Rome and Belgrade has been strengthened still further by the meeting. These quarters consider that Yugoslavia has now definitely entered the totalitarian block. The question of a rap-brochement between Hungary and Yugoslavia, they add, has been practically settled It is being persistently rumoured that Count Stephen Csaky, the Hungarian Foreign Minister, will go to Belgrade shortly to elaborate a Hun-garo-Yugoslav pact which would be signed towards the end of May. Yugoslavia would then adhere to the ti-Komintern pact and leave the League of Nations.
Observers here declare that the chief advantage which Yugoslavia will gain by joining the Germano-Italian block will be her ability to proceed quietly with a settlement of the Croat question without having to fear a Croat autonomist movement supported by one of her powerful neighbours.
As for Hungary, she will be able following the improvement in her relations with Yugoslavia and the definite end of the Little Entente, to improve her position in laying down her territorial claims against Ruma-
Chungking, Apr. 23.
HE. Chinese forces have now begun an offensive along the East China front, according to Chine military dispatches reaching here. The Chinese are said to be advancing in three columns along the Hangchow-Nanking highway towards the Nanking and Chinkiang areas, while another Chinese column is reported to be pushing towards Huchow, situated on the southern shore of the Taihu Lake. After crossing the Chientang Rive it is claimed, the Chinese are now pushing towards the Hangchow and. Kashing areas.
Meanwhile, with the offensive on the Eastern front now reported to be in progress, Chinese military circles here claim that y2t another raid has been launched on Kaifeng, the capital of Horpn. In the early hours of April 21, it is stated, Chinese troops made a surprise attack on Kaifeng, raiding the city for the third time within the past fortnight.
Despite Japanese precautions, the Chinese are stated to have broken h the Japanese defences.
y are said to have occupied the railway station and the western suburbs, and, after having set fire to Japanese supplies in nearby depots and dumps, to have withdrawn at dawn.
A Japanese armoured train, according to Chinese claims, was blown up by a Chinese mine on the Peiping-Hankow Railway at Hsuankou Station, to the south of Tanying, when en route from Sinhsiang to Anyang.
The Chinese forces defend ug Kuling, it is admitted here, have nov evacuated the famous mount resort. They are said to have withdrawn south-westwards and to have forces operating in this province are still engaged in an attempt to encircle the Japanese positions as a preliminary to a direct attack on Canton, north-weste Kiangsi, the Chinese forces are stated to have achieved the complete encirclement of Wuning and the Japanese troops are reported to have fallen back upon this town in order to await the rival of reinforce These may appear on the scene be ore the Chinese artillery can begin a bombardment of the town as the bad state of the roads make it very difficult for guns to be brought into position, The Chinese claim that their troops succeeded yesterday in smashing their wey into the town of Kaoan, while other Chinese columns are reported to have approached within ten kilometres of Nandi: before forced to withdraw again by fierce Japanese counter-attacks. The morale of the Chinese troops is described [here as being excellent—Trans-
Ocean.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.