Hankow, Apr. 11.
The major battle between Tsinanfu and Taierhchwang on the Tsinpu railway line was still in progress this morning without either side having gained a decisive advantage. Sudden Japanese reinforcements which arrived over the Tsingtao-Tsinanfu railway yesterday afternoon, gave the Japanese a slight advantage, since the Chinese were not prepared for this and were consequently forced to retreat to Changching, 25 kilometres south-west of -Tsinanfu. The Japanese then succeeded in pressing forward along the Tientsin-Pukow line in a southerly direction as far as Taian. At this point the Chinese made a heroic stand and in spite of their superior numbers, the Japanese "were brought to a stands ti The fighting around Yihsien on the Lincheng-Taierhchwang branch rai way was still going on fiercely this morning although the Chinese have not yet been able to evict the Japanese forces from the town. Although they have completely surrounded it, the Chinese have been unable to penetrate into it, as the Japanese are well equipped with tanks and light artillery, Tsaochwang, north of Yihsien,' is also still in the hands of the Japanese, though it is believed here that their hours of occupation are numbered as all possibilities of reinforcements coming up have been cut off through the Chinese victory near ian cheng two days ago.—Trans-Ocean.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.