Chinese villagers watch the fire_as a flour mill in Pengpu burns after a risening Wuyuan, to the west of Paotou, which is at the western terminus of the Peiping-Suiyuan Railway-—Reuter, Welhwel Passed Changteh, Feb. 16.
Throwing the full force of. their mechanized units Into the fray. the main body pf the Japanese troops a vaneing down the Peiping-Hankow Railway to-day broke through the first defence line of Weihwel and continued "their push toward the south.
Another detachment, in a danking manoeuvre to-day attacked two divisions of Central troops and one division of the Chinese 29th Army in Sinsiang, about 25 kilometres south-pursued retreating past Tienwan and yesterday morning before closing n upon Sinsiang today, Japanese troops were this after noon virtually within sight of the Yellow River and the Honan Capital. Flanking the Chinese strongholds between Welhwel and Sinsiang, on the" Pinghan Railway, detachments, this morning occupied Fengohiu, 17 Kilometres from the Yellow River jand 27 Kilometres from Kaifeng.
Once in control of the Lunghai tine, known as China's "jugular vein", the Japanese forces will threaten the line of retreat of the hundreds of thou. sands of Chinese troops concentrated in the Hsuchow area under the command of Gen. Li Teung-jen, the Turn For Better Hankow, Feb, 16, The Chinese forces have finally. succeeded in consolidating their positions, according to Chinese reports from the Tientsin-Pukow and Peiping-Hankow Railway fronts, and military authorities express their confident belief that the situation is how taking a turn for the better for the Chinese—Reuter, Fengehlu Occupied Changteh, Feb. 17.
Veering to the west without ce tinuing their anticipated push toward' Kaifeng, the Sokanishi detachment of Japanese infantry last night ceeupied Yangwu, about 40 kilometres from Fengchiu.
From this position, it is expected. they will advance "on Chengchow, iunetion of the Peiping-Hankow and Lunghai Railways, 32 kilometres directly south.
The column launched its drive from Fengchiu, which it occupied in conjunction with the Takagi unit yesterday morning.
Other columns of Japanese infantry continued to advance to Kaifeng.—Domel.
"Near Sinslang Hankow, Feb. 17.
Fighting on the Peiping-Hankow Railway is at present taking place in the vicinity of Sinsiang, forty miles north of Chengchow.
Vanguards of a Japanese. column which swept into Honan through the [southern tip of Hopel are reported to have reached Liuyuankou, on the! north bank of the Yellow River, rectly north of Kaifeng.
From this point the Japanese have subjected Hatkangkou, on the opposite bank of the. River, to heavy shelling Dombardment By Chinese planes on February" 12. and bombing, causing some damage the Chinese defence works there.
The comparative lull in Shans! has! been broken by a southward push by the Japanese forees, who are striking. out in three columns.
The Japanese left flank, which is especially vigorous, Is forging ahead along the Tal Mountains. which run parallel to the Peiping-Hankow Rail This force, which Is Based at bout seventeen miles south Railway, has advanced devond Liachsien, more than forty miles distant, and is apparently heading for Tungyanckwan, a strategic pass in southwest Shans.
The centre column Is" pushing southward along the railway. from Pingyao, which ts situated about Atty. miles south of Taiyuan, capital of Shansi. It has occupied Chanenancheng, and Is dvaneing towards Chal-
The right lank has meanwhile can-tured Wenshul, forty miles south-we of Talyua A Japanese column operating In Anhwei is advancing westward towards Hooel. or Luchowfu, and bue reached Chuanehino. 48 miles from ite Jobiective, where fighting Is now in A ble counter-offensive launched by' the Chinese forces to the west of the Tientsin-Pukow Railway line has led to further important successes aceordme fo reports reaching Hankow.. Tntense fehting in this region Is, still,{n progress and both sides are said to have suffered heavy losses.
The Chinese claim to have driven the Japanese out of Lianchsiatien, 0 station on the Tientsin-Pukow Railway Vine. and to be in pursuit of the with. arowing enemy to within striking dia. tance of the town of Chowhsien. unconfirmed report even states that this town has already been occupied.
Wenshang Struggle A severe strumele fg also still In progress for possession of the town of Wenshang. The capture of this nil ace by the Chinese was reported on Tuesday. Apparently the Japanese were, however, able to retake this town' after the arrival of reinforcements, but still Tater, it is reported. the Chinese counter-attacked and again occupied the town.
Simultaneously, renewed fighting soing on near Tsining where the Japanese have apparently also thrown Fresh troops into the battle. Finally the Chinese carried out a flank attack from Chufoo upon the Japanese detachments withdrawing from Liang-basiation and Chowhsien. The Japanese are said to have lost a large number of dead and vast quantities of war material, One of the chief results of the recent Aghting is that the position of the Japanese in the region of {the wal river on the southern sector of the Tsinpu line has become endanered, The Chinese, belter acquainted with the terrain, are concentrating on. hharrassing the enemy's rearward com. munteations. Although this kind of warfare does not lend itself to any spectacular results, the Chinese command is said to be highly satiefed with the results _achleved—Trans-'Ocean, oilway, in which the Chinese forces are stated to have regained some of {their lost ground, are claimed In Chi-Inese reports received here to-day.
Four columns of Chinese are Jengaged In a counter-attack. One of them, pushing down the railway, Is said to have recaptured Siaopengpu, fon the north bank of the Hwa River, opposite Pengpu, forcing the Japanese {to retire to the south bank.
Another column is attacking Linhwalkewan, on the railway, 22 miles West of Pengpu, from the east, while two other columns are. attacking 'Hwalyuan and Fengyang from the west," Hwalyuan is off the railway, near' Pengpu, and Fengyang off the railway, near Lishwalkwan, On the northern front, a Chinese <Jeolumn is said to be attack Chow-=|fosien, "on the railway, about: twenty miles' southeast of Yenchow—Reute Changteh, Feb, 18, apanese troops late yesterday atiernoon occupied Sinhslang, import. Ant Chinese stronghold north of the Yellow "River, immediately ater: wards, two ying columns. fet Si tsiang, along the' Sinhslang-Peat and the "Belping-Hankow "Rallvays, "in close pursuit of the retreating" Chit Seve troops Late last night Japanese units near. tug wots 12 Tlomeees went eighteen "'kilometre south. sent long, and, Siaokishen, abo
The retreat of troops down the Pel-Ping-Hankow Railway was out by th Fapld advance of" the. Sakunisht attachment, which last night reached point about eign iilometes south abt of Siaokichen, marching "from Japanese tsps yesterday also reached Licheng, in Shans and the fame afternoon' forced. their way firouen the sonal defended rug fang past oh the Hnat-Sha
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.