NEWS OF THE WEEK
DURING last week-end the Japanese forces in China occu- pied Tsinan, capital of Shantung, and Hangchow, capital of Chekiang. They now hold seven provincial capitals, the two national capitals, Nanking and Peking, and the two great ports of Tientsin, in the north, and Shanghai. In accor- dance with the Chinese plan of campaign, Tsinan was surren- dered without a struggle as soon as the Japanese crossed the Yellow River ; and it is evident that Tsingtao, blockaded by sea, and threatened by troops advancing from Tsinan, must soon fall also. Yet it is a remarkable tribute to the growing force of Chinese patriotism that the provincial Governor, Han Fu-chu, who at the opening of hostilities wavered between both sides, in the face of these events remains loyal to the Chinese Government and is co-operating in the command of the Chinese troops, who have retired to Taian. Indeed, one of Japan's greatest difficulties is that the loyalty of the Chinese to their Government seems to increase under defeat, a consequence, possibly, of the barbarities committed by the Japanese both before and after their victories. In the South, the Japanese, having taken Hangchow, are marching on Han- kow and with its capture the attack on Canion is to be expected. The fall of the southern capital will give Japan control of the entire coastline of China, and it is possible that with this, if the Chinese armies still in existence permit, they will be satisfied. But it seems more probable that Chinese resistance will be maintained and even intensified. China has little to lose thereby, and Japan's difficulties will steadily increase as she penetrates farther and farther into territory which she cannot effectively occupy.
