Chanateh, Feb, 8 Breaking-a three-monthe deadlock, panes' troops on. Sunday Taunched 1 Surpeise deve southward, seeking catch the Chinese troops entre hed along the Langhat line by pingerslice movement.
One. detachment, operating along the Poking-Hanleow tine, occupied the yelled "oun "of ani south Despite bitter rodlstance, the Chinese fuming, "carly yesterday, "morning.
defenders of the town Were forced to fee. "leaving. behind "1,000" bodies Japinese military authorities announc Here to-day.
Other Japanese units steadily drove Chinese troops northward, towards Tisuehow, More than 7,000 bodies wera toft fy the elds of battle near the Hal Hlver_ during. eight days, from Jane try 28. Dome saps Nearing Kweiten Hankow, Feb. 8 A movement which, if successful, Would bring the Japanese forces operating across country from. the southern' section of the Tientsin-Pukow Railway within striking distance of Kweiteh, on the Lunghai Railway, ig being attempted by the Japanese, according to official Chinese ispatehes received here to-day.
'The Japanese, it Is stated, are ting to advance' in a north-westerly direction from Hwaiyuan, with Mfengchen, on the Kwo River, as their mediate objective.
From Mengehen, which is about forty miles frdim "Hwaiyuan, the fighting desperately in an attempt prevent the capture of this centre.
Chinese military circles regard the operations in North Honan and South Hopel as intended to divert Chinese attention from Hsuchowfu, the main jective of the drive long the Tientsin-Pukow Railway.
'Meanwhile, according) to Chinese reports, the Japanese troops in the! Hangchow and Wuhu sectors are re~ maining on the defensive, contenting themselves with warding' off attacks by Chinese mobile units.
"The Chinese military authorities claim that Chinese troops have Teached the outskirts of Wuhu several points, but admit, that the Yangtze "port is completely in the hands of the Japanese—Reuter.
Chinese Trying to Check Advance Hankow, Feb, 10.
While Chinese troops are trying] to check the advance of the Japanese. forees up the southern section the Tientsin-Pukow Railway, mobile columns of Chinese are reported to be making a flanking attack from the west inthe vicinity of Lengjenssu, south of Pengpu.
'The Chinese troops are now holding the north" bank of a small river' which intersects the Tientsin-Pukow Railway north of the Hwai River.—Reuter.
Tsinpu Front Quiet "Hankow, Feb. 10.
Almost complete quiet prevailed southern section of the Tientsin Pukow railway yesterday, according to reports reaching here. Appear-Jances suggest that both Japanese and Chinese are now making preparations for large scale operations." Chinese Irregulars are taking advantage of the Suspension of fighting to conduct various smaller attacks on the rear mard of the Japanese army.
Yesterday evening It was onnounced from a Chinese oficial quer-{er that under pressure of Chinese setivity the Japanese troops had again been forced to retreat across {the hotly contested Hwai river where fighting has been fierce for several Jdays past. General Li Tsung-Jen, Chinese commander-in-chief of the Hisuchow front, declared yesterday to a party of correspondents inspect {ng the front, that despite the loss of Pengpu he believed he would be ble to hold the railway junction of Hisuchow, possession of which assures the control of the Tientsin-Pukow and Lunghai railways lines, because J—according to General Li—Chinese firrogulars, operating behind the rally way lines and along their length, [cause the Japanese serious dimculties.
General Li stated further that the Jepanese in the northern section of the Tientsin-Pukow railway were making no attempt to advance from the. North against Hsuchow but i stead of that Japanese troops were fying to press forward along the Peking-Hankow railway southwards in order, after the capture of Chengchow, {0 eross the western section of the Lunghai railway to outflank the Chinese troops fighting at Hsuchow.
Reports in some Hankow Chinese newspapers yesterday, were to the effect that ihe town' of Wuhu has. been recaptured are declared official-' ly to be premature. It is stated,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.