1938-02-18 — Page 8

THE CHINA MAIL, FEBRUARY 18, 1938.

IMPORTANCE

DRIVE ON

Page

OF JAPANESE YELLOW RIVER

Foreign Military Assessment Of Situation

The Great Dividing

Line In Honan

Province

Shanghai, To-day.

Foreign military observers here regard the Japan- ese march towards the Yellow River as the most important development in the Sino-Japanese hostilities since the fall of Nanking.

EURASIA

SERVICE

RESUMED

Hankow, To-day.

The Eurasia Aviation Corpor- ation has resumed the regular air mail and -passenger service between Stanfu, Lanchow and Ninghsia-Reuter.

These operations, and the attendant thrust to the CHORAL

Lunghai Railway, are considered rather more vital than the battle for Hsuchowfu.

The two main objectives of the Japanese are

CONCERT AT

Firstly, to gain control of the Lunghai Rail- ALBERT HALL

way, and

$

Secondly, to form a junction between the

forces operating from north and south.

very

In accomplishing these objec- tives they would possess the only railway running into the heart of China, and would obtain full control. of Kiangsu, Shan- tung and Hopei.

GREAT DIVIDE Observers lay a great deal of emphasis upon the moral effect upon the Japanese if they cross the section of the Yellow River traversing Honan, which for many centuries has been the great dividing line.

JAPANESE SAY TSINING IS

NOT ABANDONED

Shanghai, To-day.

LI CHUNG-YEN CONFIDENT OF HOLDING ON

HSUCHOW, TO-DAY. GENERAL LI CHUNG YEN, COMMANDER IN CHIEF OF THE FIFTH ROUTE ARMY, EXPRESSED CONFIDENCE IN THE ABILITY OF THE CHINESE FORCES TO HOLD THE LUNGHAI RAILWAY FOR AN INDEFINITE PERIOD.

He said the Chinese defence tactics were elastic. Whichever direction the Japanese concen- trated their attack, they were immediately diverted by Chinese forces operating in another direc- tion. The Japanese high com- mand directing the campaign in the southern sector of the Tien- tsin-Pukow Railway was in V. quandary, he added.

London, To-day. The King and Queen will attend a concert on Empire Day at the Royal Albert Hall on the lines of that given by King George Command in 1935.

*

It is their majesties wish that the concert shall fulfil the same two aims as that of Jubilee Year-to exemplify and encourage the tion's music making at its best and to benefit musicians in need.

The concert will be broadcast at side of the home and to the Empire.

a

Despite the fact that the Jap- anese have established a position on the northern bank of the Hwai River, they find it impossi- nable to make a further advance northward and majority have been withdrawn to the southern river to deal with Chinese troops, who are bringing According to Japanese reports, · Choral delegates from some 200 heavy pressure on the Japanese Tsining has not been abandoned choirs in England, Scotland, Ire-flanks. by the Japanese as reported yes-land, Wales and the Channel Isles This achievement would make terday afternoon in Chinese des- will be invited. These will join with munique, the Chinese forces hold- According to an official com- the Japanese, feel they had made patches.

550 members of the Royal Alberting the area to the north of the a major advance in the cam-

It is stated that street fighting Hall Choir and other Choral So-Hwai River staged a large-scale paign.

is continuing.

cieties of Greater London. ·It Japanese

is counter-attack and inflicted hun- operations, however.

Another report which not ad- hoped it may be found possible to in-dreds of casualties on the Japan- will continue to present difficulties mitted in Japanese military cir- clude a small contingent representa- ese. The city of Hwaiyuan, held as long as Changteh, in North Ho- cles here is that Mingkwong was tive of the Dominions.-British by the Japanese, is now under nan, remains their base of oper- re-captured by the Chinese yes-wireless. ations, for it is a good 75 milesterday. This town has been be- from the Yellow River.

Under

GENERALSHIP

efficient generalship, foreign observers believe, it would not be difficult for the Chinese to prevent the Japanese crossing the Yellow River, but Chinese failures elsewhere have nöt stimulated op- timism.

Once across the Yellow River the Japanese would be able to reach Chengchow without difficul- ty.

CROSSBAR

A glance at the map shows that the Lunghai Railway_is_a_sort

of crossbar between the Peiping- Hankow and Tientsin-Pukow Rail- ways.

Fall of either of the two junc- tion cities Chengchow or Isu- chowfuis expected by observers to make the other untenable except at the risk of huge casualties. Reuter

sieged for several days and it is possible that the Chinese have entered the city as they have been considerably re-inforced during the past week.

tsin-Pukow Line

At every point along the Tien- the Chinese forces have been swelled by thou- sands of fresh troops from other provinces. Additional soldiers are said to have been sent from Szechuan lately. Our Own Correspondent.

AMERICAN USE OF SINGAPORE

NAVAL BASE?

London, To-day, Mr. Geoffrey Mander (Liberal,

BRITISH MISSION Wolverhampton) will ask Mr.

TO PORTUGAL

Neville Chamberlain, the Prime Minister, on Feb. 22 “if the Bri- tish Government would be pre- pared to enter into negotiations London, To-day: with the United States Govern- The British Service Mission to men for the latter's use, by lease Portugal will leave Southampton or otherwise, of a portion of the on the R.M.S. Alcantara to-day. Singapore naval dock.”—Reuter.

The purpose of the Mission, which consists of Vice-Admiral of the common maritime interests Wodehouse, Colonel Daly and and the long established friend- Group Captain Field, is to establish ships which exist between Great closer c contact between the ser- Britain and Portugal-British

vices of the two countries in view Wireless.

:

Chinese siege. Hua Nan.

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