Assisted by powerful surface units, Japanese naval Tanding parties Wednesday launched a mopping up offensive against bandit troops. an Chungking. gueritias in the Chusan Islands group, owing -to recent depredatory activities of the latter, it was reported here, Peace and order in. the islands, which were occupied by the Japanese forees last June, has been disturbed recently by operations of bandits who have filtered in the area with ussistance from guerilla units, landing by small craft from Siangshan Bay on the eastern coast of Chekiang prov. ince, Indiscriminate looting and pillaging of peaceful inhabitants in the islands forced the Japanese to take strong reprisal measures, and the attack was finally commenced on Wednesday, Despite rain and cold weather, Landing parties concentrated attacks en Chusan Island and Taishan Island, the largest in the group.
Lack of proper means of communtcations, which hitherto has been the ease, 1s now overcome with the building of motor roads of which the Japanese forees are taking full advantage-—Domei.
Chungking, Jan, 9.
Chinese successes In the fighting near the Hunan-Hupeh border are featured in this morning's Chinese newspapers.
Chinese fletd despatches from the North Hunan front claim that 3,000) Japanese troops supported by artillery Inunehed an attack to the south on. January 4 from their bose at Yang. Lou S2e, while simultaneously Japan~ ese forees in Southern Hupeh pushed Into the hills east of Tsung Yang and Tung Chen in three columns.
Afler 24 hours of vigorous fighting the Chinese despatches claim, the Japanese withdrew. to their original positions, leaving behind many killed and wounded—Reuter,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.