San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1888-08-03
THE CHINESE ARMY.
ITS ORGANIZATION, EQUIPMENT AND
GENERAL CONDITION.
China's Eye on Russia-Troops of the
Frontier-Omcers and Privates of the
Celestial Army-Arms, Rations and Pay.


Frontier-Omcers and Privates of the
Celestial Army-Arms, Rations and Pay.
Promotion.
Those who believe that in the not re-
mote future the Chinese empire will
prove thorn in the side of Russia, will
find their views corroborated by an article
in the current number of The lnternation-
ale Revue uber die Gesammlen Armeen
und Flotten, which 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 vicerOy. Of
these the best organized is the army OF
Pe-chi-i, which, instructed by European
officers, also well armed and clothed in
uniform serves its model for the others
What, however concerns us most in this
country is the reorganization of the army
of Manchuria, which has recently been
undertaken-partlyb because China wishes
to colonize that region as a bulwark
against Russia, and partly because she
fears that power as dangerous rival in
the Corea. This reorganization was begun
two years ago, Manchuria being divided
into three districts, the united military
| strength of which is said to amount to
from 100000 to so, 900 men. OF these,
we are told, one-third are armed with
breech leaders, the remainder with old
| fashioned firearms, bows, arrows and
Iances. Thirty thousand are constantly
under arms, tie nucleus being composed
! of ID, 900 troops from the Pe-chi-li army,
who have been disciplined after the Euro
| pean model
| WATCHING THE FRONTIER.
Kirin, the military center of Manchuria,
possesses an arsenal, and watches the
| Russian frontier with detachments, which
scour the country continually to clear it
| of banditti and keep the roads open for
| postal communication. The cavalry,
| formed into squadrons of $50 men, are
armed with Winchester magazine rifles or
| Remington repeaters; and their horses,
though small, are active and serviceable.
| They are described as bold riders, with
the usual ugly Asiatic seat and, strange
to say, they make no use of steel weapons
in 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 beng in rear of
| their men.
Target practice takes place in July and
August, when 100 cartridges are expended
| by each man. Bad shots are punished,
and at the autumnal inspection of the
| general commanding the best marksmeu
are rewarded with sqnare silver medals:
but, as the generals dog is permitted to
wear the same adornment, the distinction
is not overwhelming. The soldiers are
well paid. Every cavalry soldier gets the
| equivalent of twenty one roubles per
month and his clothing; fifteen of these
roubles go to pay for the keep of himself
and horse, six remaining for shoe leather,
washing and Undertaking. AS food, he
receives rice, millet and tea; four times
week meat and small quantity of spirits;
| while hay, straw and crushed beans are
served out to his steed. There is regi-
mental fund for providing remounts, but
| the soldiers do not willingly borrow from
| it because the bamboo is too frequently
employed to accelerate repayment.
Near the Russian Ussuri frontier are
stationed eight battalions of Chinese in
fantry, each 500 strong, which are chiefly
employed in the construction of fortified,
tions. These are rapidly springing up all
| over Manchuria, two of it's towns, Kirin
and Ningati, being defended by girdle
of detached forts, which are built on the
European pattern, and in part provided
with steel plates. The infantry receives
twelve roubles a month, with clothing,
and are armed with the Remington re-
peating rifle. which carries bayonet like
that of the French chassepot.
OFFICERS AND PRIvATEs.
New drill regulations, similar to the
French, are being introduced. On pa
rade the officers look on. merely inter.
vening when the application of the stick
seems necessary. The battalion is di-
vided into four companies, whose chiefs
hold the rank of major; nevertheless, a
major general is not unfrequeltly con.
tent to assume command of one of them.
The officers make good the deficiency of
their pay by defrauding their men. The
soldier is often forced to till his own land
as a laborer for the profit of his officer.
The officers are represented as wholly
uneducated, and dependent for promotion
on the caprice of some magnate, for whom
they are ready to perform the most mental
offices. They undergo an examination
prior to appointment; which, however,
chiefly consists in fencing with one sword
or two), wrestling, etc. They spend their
leisure on the divan, dicing, chattering or
playing the guitar Most of them are ad.
dicted to smoking opium, although the
practice is forbidden. Drunkenness is
also common. The non commissioned of.
ficers are trained in school at Kirin; but
thew are not better maid than the DriVateS