The Waterbury Democrat., 1941-12-17

against the Japanese has spread to areas southwest Of Shanghai, the Fookien Times of Manila said tos day.
 Chinese radio advices from the Hong Kong area said that Chinese troops had driven across the Row. loon border, on the mainland op- poSlte Hong Kong, and were striking at the rear of the Japanese forces.
 The Fookien Times, the largest Chinese newspaper in Manila, pub- lished dispatches from the official Chinese Central News agency which said the Chinese were fighting on e vast front in South China.
 Chinese troops were reported to have captured several villages northwest Of the Canton railway station. The dispatches to the Fookien Times said that strong Chinese attacks were forcing the Japanese to reenforce their Tam. shut garrison on the Kowloon. Gan. ton railway.
 Tn the Nahgchow area 200 miles southwest of Shanghai, Chinese troops were reported to have trapped Japanese forces near Mo- kanshan, famous summer resort,
 Reports said the Chinese had storined their way across the border along the CaFiton-Hong Kong raii- road and had reached ghawafl, % miles inside the Kowloon leased area of the colony.
 Fierce fighting was reported at Shawan and ct shumchun, the frontier railroad station.
 It was reported that other Chi. neSe forces had started c Storng drive down tho coast toward Hong Kong from the GWatoW GFOa and that they had effected contact with the Imperial forces.
 (It was assumed that any such contact was by wireless). In Touch With Portugal
 London, Dec. i7-(UP)-A foreign office commentator said today that the Japanese had occupied the PoF- tuRueSe Island of Macao of the China coast near Hong Korg and ifitimated that Portugal might be involved in the war f the reports proved true.
 The commentator said Britain was doing oil 1t could to ascertain the true situation regarding Macao and commented:
 If the report that the Japanese invaded Macao is true it may have far.reaching effects on PoFtugal'k attitude toward the war.
 Tt would obviously be on con- siderable importance and gravity, aS it involves in the war another power hitherto outside the conflict"
 Earlier, official informantS had charged that Axis powers were doing their utmost to stir up trouble be- tween Great Britain and Portugal In South Africa by circulating re- ports in Portugal to the effect that Britain had promised South Africa parts Of Portuguese Mozambique and Angola.
 There is no truth whatever in these reports" 1t was said.
 In North Africa
 Cairo, Dec. i7-(UP)-BritIsh I'm. perials in North Africa maintained pressure against Axis troops every- where yesterday and in some sectors made progress despite bad weather, British general headquarters said today.
 It's connmunique said the advance Of British main forces nouthWeet of Gazala, which is west of T0lrs1k, and the advance Of British armored forces west of Qazaia WsEW slowed down by bad weather, chiefly sand storms.
 "In the area west of TObruk about 70 more German and Italian guns and several anti-tank guns were rec covered,S the comSnunique said.
 operating under extreme weather difflculties our fighters again efFec- lively countered attempts by Ehe enemy air force Co interfere with our ground troops and also carried out successful attacks on enemy transport columns moving behind the battle front"
 Italian Sub Sunk
 London, Dec. 17--(UP)--An Ital- ian submarine attempting to eva- cuate Gen. Guido Lami of the Ttai- ian army from Bardia, Libya. was sunk by A British destroyer veater day, the admiralty said today.
 Bardia, between Tohruk enA Nh Egypt-Libya frontier, has Been iso. lated and is under attack hy HFlllrs Amperias from ths land Glde.