Meishan, northwest of Juichang was also claimed having been taken without much opposition on yester. day morning, but violent engagements were reported from the area southwest of Juichang where the Japanese were attacking Chinese positions at Shekialung, 16 kilometres away.
In a determined offensive launched at £ o'clock yesterday morning, Japanese troops were claimed to have succeeded in putting to rout six Chinese divisions defending the approaches to Kwangchi, reaching a point 8 kilometres from the strategic Hupeh city. The capture of Kwangchi would open the rear of the Chinese forces at Wusueh on the river bank to a Japanese attack.
While major progress was claimed to have been made by Japanese troops striking directly south from Kiukiang towards Tehan, spirited counter-attacks by Chinese forces gainst Japanese troops operating in the western foothills of the Lushan mountains were reported in Kiukiang. A particularly bitter encounter took place Saturday night at Tuagkuling, when the Chinese attempted in vain to retake this strategic height. Chinese losses in last—week's engagements were estimated by Japanese officers to be in excess of 10,000.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.