The advance units already in Paoting-fu, the announcement said, belonged to the 32nd and 58th divi The main force of the two di was reported to be still straddling the Hopei-Honan border.
Central army units at Chengting south of Paoting en the Peiping-Hankow railway, were said by the War Offüce to belong to the 30th Army.—Domel, Nanking, July 18.
Diplomatic tension was heightened here to-day owing to the presentation of an ultimatum by the Japanese Charge d'Affaires indicating that the Japanese were bringing pressure te bear on the Central Government as well as on the local authorities at Tientsin. It is believed that a critical point has been reached and that the question of peace or war will be settled in the next two days, The memoranda sent to the Nine-
Powers signatory to the Washington Treaty did not specifically ask for aid; at the same time it indicated that consultation between the Powers along the lines provided for in that treaty would be welcome. It is
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.