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3.
The master of the riversteamer "Lung Shan
སྐ
has reported on the 1st October that about 1,000 Chinese troops were observed near Blake Point proceeding towards Bocca Tigris in junks and also that soldiers were observed working at the guns of the Bogue Forts. Moreover, on the 29th September Mr. Eugene CHên informed the consular body at Canton by circular letter that he had "just received a letter from the Commander of the Whampoa Martial Law Special Area stating that the General Staff Department have received orders to impose martial law", and requested that foreign ships should not pass the Whampoa martial law area between the hours .of 7 p.m. and 6 a.m. I attach a copy of this letter. Enclo. No. 4.
Evidently, therefore, the Canton Government is nervous and it probably fears that, as last year, the northern cruisers may attempt to pass Bocca Tigris and so reach Canton.
4.
In central China events appear to have taken a turn unfavourable to the Cantonese expeditionary
force. Wu-ch'ang is still held by the northerners and
the troops of Marshal Sun Ch'uan-fang are advancing to its relief along the right bank of the Yangtsze. On the 29th September they took Ta-yah (K). It also seems that Marshal Wu P'ei-fu fram his present base at Cheng-chou in Honan is planning a counter-offensive for the purpose of recovering Hankos and Han-yang. Meanwhile General Yang Sen, who was recently involved in the Wan-hsien affair, has reached Sha-si on the Yangtaze and seems to be coming from the west to the relief of Wu-ch'ang. Further South the troops of Marshal Sun are reported on the 29th September to have taken Hsien-ning and T'ung-sheng and to be advancing
upon
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