Hankow, July 26.
Kuling, where a number of foreign ers are staying, now lies within the battle zone.
The dykes of the Yangize were broken at several points between Kiukiang and Poyang Lake and the inundated roads are greatly impeding the advance of Japanese mechanised units, The Japanese troops are now above all attacking the 15th and 19th Chinese divisions, which withdrew about ten kilometres yesterday in order to take up new positions at the foot of the hills, where they will be able to withstand the Japanese attack better.
'A number of Japanese warships at Hukow left their anchorage yesterday, proceeding upriver. It is generally expected that the Japanese will land further troops above Kiu-Kiang, so that they can attack the city from several directions. Small detachments were, moreover, landed yesterday opposite Kiukiang' on the northern bank.
On the northern bank, where the Japanese are said to have concen trated roughly four divisions between Wuhu and Hukow, quiet still prevails at the present moment—Trans-Ocean. the mountain was taken.
The same night the Japanese forces allured Kwangsichiao at the bottom of the western slope of Mount ating. Soon afterward they took artillery positions. on Mount Puchuan and Mount Mating.
Bodies of Chinese soldiers littered the rond between Kwangsichiao and Shanchuehiao, In the battle of Kwangsichiao the Japanese captured four feld Mopping-up Before Inunching their drive Kiukiang the Japanese forces busied themselves during the past 18 days making preparations and in completing mopping-up operations around Hukow, which was taken on July 4, Five' detachments which Ted the drive on the town were joined later by at Toast five other detachments when the purh got under way in full force.
When the mopping-up was _com= pleted at Hukow, the Japanese forces set out at 12.30 o'clock in the morning of July 23. In pitch. darkness and rain Japanese warships, sailed across Lake Poyang and landed the attacking forces near Kutang on the western side.
The Innding parties had been taken aboard at two places south-west and north-east of "Hukow.
Having anticipated a landing of Japanese troops, the Chinese had confolldated defence positions on the Take shore, but when they were attacked unexpectedly in the rain storm they were easily routed, although there was some severe fighting for a short time,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.