Evening star., 1922-05-01
BATTLE FOR PEK|NG
STILL RAGING, WITH.
WUFORCES GAINING
Tide of Conflict Rolling East
ward Toward City's
Southern Wall.
DEFENDERS PLAN STAND.
AT HUN RIVER CROSSING
Guard About American Legation
Increased-Another q. S.
Warship Expected.
By the Associated Press,

By the Associated Press.
PEKING, May 1.-The,battle for the
possession Of Peking was still con-
tinuing today, with the advantage ap-
parently going to the forces'o Of Gen.
WI Pei-Fu. driving toward the cap
ital from the south.
Advices from the center of the fight
ing, twelve miles southwest of the
city, were that Gen. Wu was forcing
the soldiers of Gen. Chang Tso-Lin
from Changsintien, and that the tide
of battle was rolling eastward toward
the southern walls of Peking.
Heavy gunfire broke out to the east
of Changsintien at o'clock last
night, continuing intermittently all
night.
Chang Troops Retreat.
Artillery firing in the sector south
of Peking became more intense to-
ward midnight. and small part Of
Gen. Chang Tso-Lin's army retreated
toward the southwest walls of Peking.
Gen. WI Pei-Fu's forces appeared to
be developing their fanking move
ment on Chang's right wing, while
the latter's troops were defending the
Marco Polo bridge across the Hun
river. commanding the approach to
Peking.
Observers reported that Chang had
seven batteries of three guns each,
firing simultaneously, with trenches
over the hills along the river 500 yards
apart. Gen. WI has gone from Pao-
tinfu, his headquarters, to Liuliho. to
take charge of the drive on Peking.
lie ShrannPl
machine guns.
(Liuliho is on the Peking- -Hankow
railway, about thirty-five miles south
of Peking, and twenty miles south
of Changsintien, on which Gen. Chang
Tso-Lin's right wing restsD
Reaches Telegraph Point.
WI Pei-fu's army this afternoon had
arrived at a point on the railroad be-
tween Peking and Tientsin. The tele-
graph staff at the station at Fengtai
reported that soldiers were approach
ing. Part of WI Pei-fu's army was re-
ported marching across the country to
attack Chang Tso-Lin south of Tient-
sin.
Gen. Chang Tso-Lin is personally
occupying a special train at Chung
liangchen, midway between Tientsin-
and Taku. Traffic between Peklng
and the sea consequently has been
blocked. The Portuguese minister
here, who is dean of the diplomatic
corps, filed a protest, asserting that
this was a violation of the 1901 pro-
tocol. He said unless the line was
opened Immediately the allies would
be compelled to guard the railroad.
The protocol provides for uninter--
rupted traffic between Peking and
Shanhaikuan, which is the northeast
terminus of the great wall.
Fierce Fighting shown.
Fighting around Peking has diinin
ished as a result of the retirement of
Chang Tso-Lin's army from the i'm
mediate vicinity. Chinese inhabitants
said today the wounded and dead
found outside the walls of the city
indicated the fiercest fighting that
had taken place in recent history.
1t develops today that Gen. Feng
Yuh Slang, the Christian general
who commanded Wu Pei-Fu's opera
tions in the battle of Changsintien,
employed effective tactics. He with
drew south of Changsintien for the
purpose of drawing Chang Tso-Lin's
forces away from their positions.
When they pursued, the Christian
generals soldiers turned and de-
livered heavy fire. causing $4,000 of
Chang Tso-Lin's men to scatter into
the hills. Feng Yuh Slang followed
up this retreat, took a bridge and
crossed the river.
Wu-Pei-Fu's plan is thought to be to
drive the Manchurian general toward
Tientsin.
Three Chinese cruisers are reported
to have arrived at Shanhaikuan. aim
ing to cut off Chang Tso-Lin's rear.
The powers represented here are
watching events closely.
A French gunboat and a British
gunboat have arrived off Baku, and
an Italian gupboat Is expected.
cuANG uoT,DS ADVANTAGE