Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1872-09-17
CHINA AS A NAVAL POWER.
The Ceieetfals Building First
class wooden Navy-Iron.clads

Grass WO0uru Navy-lF0n-cinus
Contracted tor. 80
From the San Francisco Bulletin. Sept. 2
To Western minds the idea that China
will ever become Of any Importance as
q naval power appears an utter absurdity.
That the Celestial should abandon his
cherished habit Of centuries in the con-
struction of his war junks and copy the
plans Of barbarians would, e few years
since have been regarded as mere
chimera. We have seen, however, Ja-
pan emerge from the mist that hung
about it for ages, and set about inaugur-
ating navy after the fashion of the
United States and European powers,
and it now appears that China aspires to
emulate in this respect its more pro-
gressive neighbor. The Chinese have
within few years been obtaining by
degrees number of steam vessels, un-
til they now possess about twenty steam
ships, all more or less adapted to the
purposes of war. The majority Of these
have been built in China, and are
manned and oficered by Chinese, who
profess to understand navigation and
marine engineering. This feet was
originally designed, it is supposed, to
chase the pirates with which the Chi
nese waters abound, and the first steam
ships were therefore of small capacity,
varying from two hundred to seven hun
dred or eight hundred tons. Now, how
ever, the Government evidently has en-
larged its views, and as our readers
we're short time since informed, a
| frigate Of three thousand tons, built by
native Chinese workmen, has been sue
cessfully launched. This is TO be armed
with Krupps powerful improved guns.
Other frigates Of similar character are
said to be in progress. Nor are the Chi
nese content with wooden vessels only.
An experienced naval architect, skilled
in the construction ofiron- clads, has been
sent for from Europe, and is on his way
to China to design and superintend the
construction Of the modern war iron
clad The Chinese have also been Civ
ing attention to the manning of their
navy. All the seamen and marines are
picked men, the most OF whom have
been under foreign drill instructors, and
arc all armed with foreign rifles of new
patterns. The guns are also made and
mounted after the modern fashion, and
the drill is represented as being some
what severe. The higher class of officials
also, who spared no pains to obtain in
formation on the chief incidents of tho
Franco-Gcrman war, have been expert
menting in the use of torpedoes. The
water-thuEders, as they are called in
the Chinese vernacular, are viewed with
great favor, and the government is pos
sessed of estimates drawings, and models
of all the recent inventions in this de-
partment of warfare. The Anglo-C Chinese
press all admit that war with China
now would be very different affair than
with the clumsy war junks of few
years ago. The last China Mail stated
that should the dispute between Corea
and Japan end in hostilities China is de-
termined to aid Che former. Possibly
these warlike naval preparations have
some connection with this contingency,
as it has been reported that the Govern
ment of the Son of Heaven is by no
means satisfied with Japan in the nego-
tiations for the recently projected treaty.
There is also abundant proof that China
is viewing with jealousy Japan growing
intercourse with Western powers, and if
the former is not ready to cast off old
prejudices and put on modern civiliza-
ton, like its neighbor, it is determined
not to be lacking in its appliances of
making war should break occur be-
tween the two nations.