THE CHINA MAIL, APRIL 29, 1938.
MILLION AND HALF TROOPS NOW MASSED Biggest Concentrations In Sino-Japanese War Primary Japanese SUDDEN DEATH
Aim Already Defeated
CHINESE COMPLETELY
CONFIDENT
Hankow, To-day.
Chengchow, To-day
OF DR. HO SAI-CHUEN
The death occurred at the French
More than 1,000,000 Chinese and 500,000 Japanese Hospital in the early hours of this troops are now assembled on the Tientsin-morning, after a brief illness, of Pukow Railway front, according to neutral Dr. Ho Sai-chuen, one of the sons of the late Mr. Ho Fook and a ne- military observers, who point out that this is phew of Sir Robert Ho Tung and the greatest massing of troops concentrated on Mr. Ho Kom-fong. any front in the Sino-Japanese conflict.
In an interview with Reuter yes- terday, the Chinese military spokes- man expressed complete confidence in the ability of the Chinese forces to repulse the present Japanese drive in south Shantung, expressing the opinion that the outcome of the It battle will be determined within five days.
The spokesman declared that in At the Taierchwang battle the Chin- ese forces had now again sur- rounded the Japanese.
The late Dr. Eo burst a blood
morrhage, and little hope had been held out for his recovey.
He was
about 47 years of age.
is still uncertain, however, when the offensive vessel at his office on Wednesday, which the Chinese apparently intend to launch collapsed later with cerebral hae on this front, will begin. present both sides are still marshalling fresh troops and massing war material in this sector.
The Japanese forces consist The Chinese had succeeded at mostly of units taken from gar- Taierchwang, in a small limited risons in the provinces of Shan- area, to make the encirclement si and Hopei, which possible.
Secondly, destruction of Japanese commmunications in the rear. reinforcements and supplies possible.
AND EXHAUSTED
made im-
ese
have thus partially been denuded of Japan- forces operating in the two pro- troops, while the Chinese
vinces mentioned, composed of regulars as well as irregulars still retain their full strength.
The Chinese positions south of Hanchwang, which the Japanese Thirdly, they outnumbered
the have unsuccessfully attacked Japanese, making it possible for during the last few days, are said the Chinese to concentrate power to be exceptionally strong. ful units at strategic points, there by making it very difficult for the Japanese to break the Chinese cor- don.
FLANK ATTACKS
BRITISH VISA REGULATIONS
London, To-day.
He recently returned from the war front after some months in charge of a Chinese military medi- cal unit and performing a valuable service behind the lines in the Shanghai hostilities.
It may be recalled that he was prominently connected, by the acci→ dent of his being one of the first . A question was asked in the on the scene, with the famous Village House of Commons yesterday as to Road Murder which led to the trial whether the Government would and conviction of Cheng Kwok-yau. consider exempting from the neces sity of obtaining a British visa, He was educated at King's CM- those persons who intended to visit lege School, London, and St. John's Britain solely for business pur College Cambridge, where he poses.
graduated in medicine and surgery, He was for some time a member of the Sanitary Board, now the Urban Council.
The Under Secretary for Foreign Affairs, Mr. R. A Butler, replied Since the Japanese attempts that an arrangement of this kind to capture these positions by would be impossible in-practice as In the present Shauntung battle, frontal attack were frustrated by the business reasons have to be he said, the Japanese were
em-the stubborn Chinese resistance, examined in each individual case ploying encirclement, with the Chin-military observers are inclined to before entry to the United Kingdom ese in the centre extending
from believe that
the Japanese will can be allowed-Trans-Ocean. Yihien, through Jihsien and Tarnow launch attacks from the east cheng down south to Yenchen, Peng-as well as the west against the pu and Hwaiyuan, and south to flanks of the Chinese "forces con- Hsuchowfu.
centrated along the railway, in an effort to compel these forces to evacuate their strong positions.
Chinese renforcements and
sup- plies are free to reach any point within the encirclement, as com-
From the east, such an attacki munications behind the Chinese lines would probably be launched from
are intact.
T
JAPANESE OUTNUMBERED
A
The Chinese forces had received heavy reinforcements, exabling them to break the Japanese cordon at any point they choose. In addition, the Japanese troops in Shantung were completely exhausted.
The
quickest way to get the. best whisky:
the Linyi sector, south past the town of Pihsien to the Lunghai Railway, and from the west,
rom the Japanese positions near Lanfang.
MECHANISED UNITS
To assure the success of such lattacks against the Chinese flank, Japanese mechanised units The recent unsuccessful Japanese stationed at Lanfang must break attacks showed that the Japanese through the Hsuchow-Linyî line, attacking strength was practically 150 kilometres from the starting spent. This was due to the fact point at Lanfang-Trans-Ocean that the. Japanese had commenced
the offensive before having in op- portunity to rest after their tire
some journey from other fronts.-ses are estimated at 900, and the Reuter.
situation has resulted in a dead- lock
DEADLOCK PREVAILS
The situation in south Shantung
CHINESE MOVING UP
is unchanged, in spite of Japanese In the areas north-east of Taier- attacks in the areas north and north. Ichwang the Japanese are attacking east of Taierchwang, according to Lienfanshan, north of Pihsien,
out appreciable, gains.“
a Chinese communique.
The communiquqe adds that the - One thousand Japanese are hold- Chinese lines at Nikou and Huangling Kwantimiao and about 3,000 are chwang were attacked three times holding Matouchen. Chinese defach- on Wednesday night, but all atments are moving up to attack the tacks were repulsed. Japanese los-Japanese positions there.-Reater.
ASK FOR
HAIG
The deepest sympathy will be felt with his mother, Mrs. Ho Fook, and his two brothers, Mr. Ho Wing and Mr. Ho Kwong.
AT THE NINETEENTH the stroke of genius most appreciated by all is the soothing hospitality of HAIG. To avoid disappointment at the Club House AND
elsewhere say “HAIG
Sole Agents:-
At all Clubs, Hotels and Wine Stores.
GANDE, PRICE & CO., LTD.
St. George's Building,
Tel 20135.
Ice House Street. Hong Kong.