Strategleally, the seizure of Hukow, with iis attendant control of Lake Poyang, placed the Chinese forees operating in the Anhwei-Chekiang order region west of Hangchow in danger of having their retreat cut off by a Japanese encircling movement, Such movements, the spokes. man pointed out, had been favoured by the Japanese throughout their Central China operations, Chinese forces south of the Chien long River, he continued, also were threatened," He pointed to the case with which Japanese naval landing parties had seized Amoy and -Namoa Islands near, Swatow, On the northern bank of the Yangtze the Chinese troops resisting the Japanese advance-from Tsienshan toward the Hupeh border also" were menaced by the possibility of a, Jap= anese thrust at the only Chinest way fof retreat, which lies along the Yang-{Ze lowlands opposite Huko On Other Fronts Reviewing the. developments ° on other fronts, the spokesman. an-rounced that mopping-up operations were now being conducted against Chinese troop. remnants in the azwalyin area west of Hisuchow, Many of these soldiers, he said, already had tuned to banditry, Th western Anhwei Japanese troops were continuing their advance, over~ coming the obstacles put in ¢helr way by river foods caused by the breach-Ing of the Yellow River embankments by. Chinese troops.
Operations in this area were beng facilitated by the repairs effected to Yhe Hwainan Railway running from Yukichen, opposite Wun, to. Tien-ian, east of Fengtai, the spokesman continued," Trains were already being run between Chaohsien and the Yangtze, he declared, 'The Japanese Army air corps bad actively" supported the operations of round troops by dealing "repeated Blows" upon the Chinese alr' force while aiding surface movements, Perfect Ca-operation at Hukow Nanking, July.
"The Japanese capture of Hukow was carried out as planned under the close ce-operation of army and naval forces, stated Vice-Admiral Chief of the Japanese China Sea Fleet, in an interview with Domei yesterday."
"Vice-Admiral Oikawa said both surface and air units of naval forces combined their efforts and did "full Justice to their fighting abilities."
"In the operations," he declared, "part of our naval alr forees at the Deginning could not put forth all their efforts due to the bad weather, Dut every unit, braving many dang: ers, breaking through lines of mines and opening obstructive booms, carried on the advance, wish to express my deep sym: pathy for the deaths of Lieut, Morihira Okamoto, Yujiro Wakatsuki and Hisao Shimozu, during the operations, fe is the pride of the Imperial Navy that over the graves of their comrades, our naval officers and men march on to their vietories,"—Domel, Chinese Deny Loss of Hukow 'Hankow, July 6, Despite Japanese claims' to having occupied "Hukow, a report from Kiukiang states that Hukow,...was still inthe hands of the Chinese last night, 'Japanese alreratt today were con~ tinuously reconnoitring over Hukow, and also the Poyang Lake area, heavily bombing Liutoushan,.cast of Kiukiang, 'The situation at Hukow, according to Chinese reports, eased' considerably this morning with the arrival Chinese reinforcements there, "The situation at Hukow," slates a communique issued by Chinese Military Headquarters, "was critical on Monday morning, when Japanese troops landed at Lungtoushan Hill, 10 kilometres east of Hukow, from which Japanese troops launched a severe attack upon the Chinete posi-"Japanese troops also appeared at Mayingchiao, 10 kilometres to the south-east of Hukow.
"The fate of Hukow depended upon whether the Chinese defenders could hold out until morning, when reinforcements were expected to arrive at their designated positions, "As the Chinese garrison at Hukow were stubbornly holding on to the port, the Chinese reinforcements arrived this morning, and immediately launched a counter-attack on the Japanese south-east of Hukow, where sanguinary fighting is now progressing."
Kiukiang remains quiet, and is in no immediate danger. The situation as Fegards Britons living in Klunlang as follows:
Messrs, V.V.W. Fretwell and Elliott, of the Asiatic Petroleum Company, and Messrs, HCS.C. Selby and Smith, of the Chinese Maritime Cus toms, are living ashore.
Mr., Stephenson of. Messrs. Butterfield and Swire, is living aboard the peat gunboat. Cockchafer © (625 Mr,, and Mrs, C.-L. Barargin, of the [Chinese Maritime Customs. are. living! aboard the Butterfield & Swire s. Wenchow, as is Mr. Connaughton.
Mr. R,'P. John is living at the
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.