Chungking, Sept. 30.
In an effort to ease Japanese pressure on Changsha, capital of Hunan province, Chinese' forees in North central Hunan, on the west bank of the Han River, erossed the river and launched a general offensive September 27 against, Japanese positions on the east bank, according to a Chinese field dispatch' reaching here today.
Chinese forces opposite Chung tsiang, after crossing the Han River, the dispatch continues, occupied Changshoutien, and their artillery tunus are at present shelling Japanese positions at the southern suburbs of Chungtsiang, Chinese forces are also attacking the vicinity of Yingshan and Suihsien, West of" Wushengkwan, on the Peiping-Hankow Railway' north-west of Hankow, the dispatch adds.
Another Chinese column is said to be advancing on Sinyang and Ping-¢bingkwan, on the Peiping-Hankow Railway. Meanwhile, it is reported, Japanese forces north of Changsha Yyetterday resumed a southward push two columns, one of which, advane~ Ing to the south along the Canton-Hankow Railway, reached Santsiehchiao.
Another column, advancing along the ancient highway to Changsha, Is said to have reached Fulingpu. Japan= se aircraft yesterday bombed Siang-tang and Chuchow, while Japanese reconnaissance planes cruised above Hengyang, Chiyang and Lingling.
Severe fighting is going on in the vicinity of Sianying and Paishul, close to the Canton-Hankow Railway, stotes "a Chinese field dispatch received here today from the north Hunan front, To the east of the railway, fighting said to be in progress in Pingkiang, where Japanese forees are attempting to advance on Changsha along the Mankow-Changsha main highway.
The Chinese forces are said to be putting up a stubborn resistance, with a high "commander personally directing operations at the front.—Reuter.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.