Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1888-09-26
THE CHINESE ARMY.
Its Organization, Equipment anu
General Condition

Those who believe that in the not re-
mote future the Chinese empire viii
proye a thorn in the side of Russia, VIII
find their views COTTObOTated by an
article in the current number OF 1he
Interuationale Revue ueber die GeSanl-
rnelten Armeen uud Flotten, winch
treats of the latest reforms introduced
into the Chinese army.
Apart from the Chinese and Manchu
militias, each province now possesses a
regular army of enlisted troops under
the immediate command of its ylceroy-
of these the best organized Is the army
of Pe-chi-li, which instructed by EurO-
mean officers. also well armed and cloth
81 in uniform serves Its model for the
others. What, however, concerns us
most in this country is the reOrganiZa-
tion of the army of Manchuria, which
has recently been undeTtaken-partly
because China wishes 10 cOlOniZe that
region as a bulwark against Russia,
and partly because she fears that power
as a dangerous rival IN the COrea- ms
reorganization was begun two years
ago, ManchUria being divided into
three districts, the united military
strength of which Is said 10 amount 10
from 20, 900 to 3OO, 600 men, OF these,
we are told, one-thiTd are armed with
breech leaders, the remainder with old
fashioned firearms, bows, arrows anu
lauces. Thirty thousand are constant
" under arms, the nucleus being COM
posed of i, 900 troops from the Pe-chl-
Ii army, who have been disciplined amer
the European model.
WATCHING TIE FRONTIER
Kirin. the military center OF Man
churia, possesses AN arsenal, and
watches the Russian frontier with de-
tachments, which scOur the country
continually To clear It Of bandittl and
keep the roads open for postal commu =
nicatiOu. The cavalry, formed into
| squadrons of 2JO men, are armed with
| Winchester magazine rifles or Remlng-
! ton repeaterS: and their horses, though
| sm.Ilare active and serv viceable. They are
| described as bold riders, with the usual
| ugly Asiatic seat; and, strange To say,
| they make no use of steel weapOnS-ln
some cases are not even provided with
them. Their formation Is in single
rank; their pace the walk or gallop,
| the trot being unknown. They attack
| in a swarm after fire, and to the sound
| OF trumpets, the officers being IN rear OF
their men.
Target practice takes place in July
and August, when loo cartridges are
expended by each man. Bad shots are
| punished. and ut the autumnal inspec-
/ ton of the general commanding the
| best marksmen are rewarded Win
| square silver medals; but, as the gen
| erals dog is permitted 10 wear the
| same adornmeut, the distinction IS not
| overwhelming. The soldiers are well
| paid. Every cavalry soldier gets the
| equivalent of twenty-Oue roubles pei
| month and his clothing; fifteen of these
roubles go TO pay for the keep OF him.
! self and horse. SIX remaining Tor shoe
| leather, washing and underclothIng.
As food, he receives rice, mlllet and
| tea; four times 4 week meat and a
| small quantity Of spirits; while hay,
straw and crushed beans are served out
to his steed. There IS a regimental
| fund for providing remuuutS, but the
| soldiers do not willingly borrow from II
| because the bamboo Is too frequently
employed TO accelerate repayment.
Near tile Russian JsSurI frontier are
/ stationed eight battaliOns Of Chinese i'll
| fantry, each 500 strong, which aTt
| chiefly employed in the construction Oi
| fOrtiticatIOns- These are rapidly spring:
iuE up all over MauchuTia, two Of Its
!
Tended by Il gIulle of detached forts,
which are built on the European pat
tern, and in part provided with steel
plates. The infantry receives twelve
rOubles a month, with clothing, and
are armed with the Remington repeat
| ing rifle which carries a b1rOnet like
| that OF the French chaSsepOt.
OFFICERS AND PKIvATES.
New drill regulations, similar To IL,
| French, are being introduced. OL
parade the officers look ON, merely ia
tervenmg when the application Of tn,
stick seems necessary. The battalion
Is divided into four companies, Whose
chiefs hold the rank of major; never
the less, u major general Is not uufre
Iquently content 10 assume command OF
one of them. The officers make good
the deficiency of their pay by defraud.
ing their men. The soldier Is Otter
forced to till his own land IS = labCTe
for the profit Of his officer
| The officers are TepTesg uted rs WHOLLY
UneduCated, and dependent for promo
ton on the caprice OF some mIgnate
for whom they are ready 10 perform
the most menial Offices They under
20 an examination prior to appoint
/
IN fencing with one sword or twol
wrestling. etc. They spend their leiz
uTe ON the dIvau, dicing, clIatteTing o
playing the guitar. Most OF them an
addicted to smoking opium, although
the practice Is forbidden. Drunken
ness is also common. The nOn-cOm
missioned officers are trained in schOC
: at kirin; but they are not better pai
/ TFrrE~ IfaFT
being to adOTn their hats with a bras
= button; but the entire pack of meuial
, belonging TO 4 generals establishment
: assume the distinction as a matter o
course, wherefore Il cannot be held
= high estimation. The RmmunitiU
{ consumed by the troops ia Mduchuri
] Is brought by sea from IIeu-tSIn, bu
D Il IS proposed to erect powder mills
E the province itself 1T kirin and Tsits
5 mar.
5 Articles in the Chinese press whic
D appear from time 10 time afford amp
proof that the dangers of Russian az
sreSSiOn are beginning TO be appTecia
= ed. The Chinese have augmente
S their irOuClad fleets. are setting the
:; military Institutions on an efhcieI
!. footing and, what is quite rs signii
! cant, have connected Pekin with Aigu
b ON the river AmoOr by line OF tel
h graph.
4
,, The Author OF Zanoni-
!, "Owen Meredith" the present Lol
3 Lytton, is engaged in preparing Il
! posthumous papers of his father, q
celebrated novelist, for publication
Those who have read 'Zanonir al
lie strange Story" know that Il
ID DISTINGUISHED writar had maid r,ouf