Hankow, Jan. 3.
The Japanese forces pushing down ihe Tientsin-Pukow Railway from Taian are making good progress. Their immediate objective is Yenchow, 50 miles south of Taian, and they have already advanced 15 miles to Taiwenkow, where fighting is taking place.
Another Japanese column is striking across country with the ultimate object of reaching Kweiteh, an important town on the Lunghai Railway, midway between Hiuchowfu and Kaifeng. The object of this manceuvre is to outflank the Chinese forces at Hsuchowfu, which is situated at the junction of the Tientsin-Pukow and the Lunghai railways.
Chinese quarters here admit the complete evacuation of Tsingtao by Chinese troops, saying their withdrawal was imperative because of the danger of being encircled by the Japanese.
"Meanwhile the Chinese counteroffensive in the Hangchow area is making good progress, judging by Chinese reports, which claim that a force of Chinese troops has reached Luhota, north of the Chientang River, near the Hangchow railway station.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.