ADVANCE ON NANKING

Chronicle (Levin), 18 January 1949, Page 5

ADVANCE ON NANKING

(N.Z.P.A.-

— Reuter.

Nationalists Withdraw From Outer Defence Line

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Received Tuesday, 9.30 a.m. NANKING, Jan. 17. The Natio'halists- today completed their withdrawal jfrom the skele'ton Hwai River outer ' defence line, about 100 miles nofth'of-Nanking, when they evacuated. Linwaikwan, Wuho and Szensien. Observers believe it is unlikely that Peiping would hold out longer than one week. The loss of Hwaiyuan last week has created a ;serious ; si^uation in the capitdl: Hwaiyiian pxbvided Nanking's main coal supplies to generate the city's electricity and for pumping -tfater supplies. Unless coal can be obtained from Shanghai the capital will be without light and water within ten days. The Communist radio today reported the capture of Tangku, the ocean port for Tientsin. The broadcast said that the defending Nationalist troops had fled by sea. Peace Mission Reuter's correspondent says that members of the Kuomintang's policy making body, the Central 'Political Council, were reported to have been sharply divided today when it met in camera to debate whether the Government should continue the war or make a new peace offer. No decision was reached. A peace mission of eleven professors is leaving Peiping this morning for Hsingshan, westward of the city, to ask the Communist general, Yen Chien Ying, for a cease fire, according to despatches reaching Nanking. Another despatch said victorious Communist troops under General Lin Piaos had been hastily switched from Tientsin to intensify the nttack on Peiping.