The Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1860-12-12 00:00:00

Wth „ Hou-P6 ... .... 181 6,628

20th ~ Chen-Si
21st Kan-sou.-Eastern 129 5,922
22nd ~ Kan-sou-Western 147 6,108
23rd ~ Turkestan 2Bl 14,208
24th Mantchourie
25th corps, Provincial Mausoleums 57 550
The troops of the Eight Banners scattered
throughout the provinces form a total of .. 120,000'
Those in garrison in the Tche-li represent a
total of
So that the army of the Banners thus consti-
tutes a total of
Once every three years the whole of these troops repair
to the capital to be passed in review by the Emperor.
Further, every year, the Emperor appoints a mandarin
of the highest order to inspect the different corps
of the army disseminated throughout the provinces.
These mandarins exercise the same functions as those of
the Divisional Inspector-General with us ; but they
are likewise subject to a degree of responsibility
which, in difficult circumstances, entails the punish-
ment of death. This excess of responsibility, a veri-
table sword of Damocles, constantly suspended over
the mandarin inspector, is, beyond a doubt, one of
the causes which, since 1840, have produced all the
embarrassments, all the conflicts, and all the wars
which have occurred between the European Govern-
ments and the Chinese Emperor, in consequence of the
complete disguisal of the truth to which these
mandarins have recourse. It is in presence of these
officials that the examination for degrees of bachelor-
licentiates, doctors of letters, which confer respective
degrees of military rank, take place ; it is in their
presence, also, that the exercises and evolutions of the
troops of the Chinese army are made. These exercises,
as regards the infantry, consist of firing ball, shooting
arrows, handling the sabre, bending the bow, an&
raising weights of a certain heaviness ; and the cavalry
are exercised in handling the sabre and lance, firing
ball and arrows at full gallop, lifting with the point of
the sabre or the lance, objects staked in the ground,
leaping from one horse to another, and, in short, per-
forming on horseback all possible feats.
As for the officers there is no special study required as
in Europe. The wants of the service, vacancies in the
ranks, and literary advancement alone decide the mili-
tary appointments ; so that it is sufficient to obtain a
literary title to be considered as fit to fill any rank what-
ever in any division of the army. In other respects, the
composition of the body of officers is most deplorable ;
and there can be no doubt this fact is one of the most
serious causes of the weakness of the Chinese army.

MISS WHITTY.—A letter front a friend in" Milan•
speaking of Miss Whitty, says :—" La Signora Vitti,
as she is called here, is a great favourite—and no little
merit az( a singer is required to please a Milanese
audience. .An engagement here is an affair not easy of
attainment, and an honour greatly coveted, as, if suc-
cessful, the fortune of a vocalist is made. Miss Whitty
is, moreover, an excellent actress, and, although not
strictly handsome, is very sweet-looking, graceful, and
ladylike. In Florence she created quite a furore.—
Another young countrywoman, Mary Bead, daughter of
the late Dr. Davey, of London, made her debta a few
weeks ago at Lugano, with great success : she played
thirteen or fourteen times in succession, and was on each
the
occasion more !Faintly . received, She has been very
much spoken of in
&raper/4 and very favourable
opinions are entertained of voice and style-of singing."
—Mercury.