aking preparations to launch a drive As soon ap the Japanese, we against Changsha, {t is declared, the Chinese deliberately put, out slater ments on the Chinese decision not to ght cast of the Canton-Hankow Railway, and to abandon Changsha. At the same time, all roads and ruilways in the vicinity of Changsha were systematically and thoroughly destroyed.
'Strong Chinese columns, itis revealed, were stationed in the hills feast of' the railway. A specially powerful force was concentrated north of Pingkiang, to cut the raile way close to the rear of the Japanese when they moved to the south towards Changsha.
Chinese troops who were holding Hines near the Tungting Lake and fon the railway, are said to have moved into the hills along both side of the railway and highways.
When the Japanese made a rapid advance towards Chanssha, they left heavy artillery and tanks behind and made a bold dash against the Hunan capital in small detachments, owing to the destruction of highways and the railway by the Chinese, Main Army Trapped This reckless move on the part of the Japanese later proved costly for them, Chinese quarters claim." Smaller detachments are reported to have been ambushed and Annihjlated by the Chinese, while the main body of the Japanese troops was trapped in the mountains.
The Japanese, it is explained, had to abandon their drive on Changsha and fight their way back, with Chie nese columns attacking them all along the route, 'Most of the Chinese troops came from Hunan Province, and were thoroughly acquainted "with local conditions and geography'.
Chinese circles here pay high tribute to Gen. Hsueh Yo, Com mander-in-Chief in the battle at Changsha, and Gen. Kwang Ling-cheng, who was Commander-in-Chief at the front, Commenting on the battle, the "Sao Tang Pao." organ of the Chi nese Army, stresses the econo importance of the victory.
The area around the Hunan lakes, says the organ, produces 120,000,000 piculs of rice and grain a year. West, southwest and northwest China, adds, are relying on these crops for their food supplies—Reuter.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.