, 1888-10-23

ana 1r1VuUeS OF the
Celestial Army-Arms, Rations and Pay.
Promotion.
Those who believe that in the not re-
mote future the Chinese empire will
prove a thorn in the side of Russia, will
find their views corroborated by an article
in the current number of The Information
ale Revue her 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 tbe'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-partly because China wishes
10 colonlZe that region as a bulwark
against Russia, and partly because she
Tears that power as a 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 250, 900 to 300, 900 men. Of these,
W. eaO "a oIO III III
breech leaders, the remainder with old
fashioned firearms, bows, arrows and
lances. Thirty thousand are constantly
under arms, the nucleus being composed
of 5000 troops from the Pe-chi-li army,
who have been disciplined after the Euro
pean model.
WATCHING 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 reporters; and their horses,
though small, are active and servioeable.
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 wen 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 100 cartridges are expended
by each a Bad shots are punished,
and at the autumnal inspection of the
general commanding the best marksmen
arc rewarded with square 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 roub1es per
month and his clothing; fifteen of these
roubles go to pay for the keep of himself
and horse, six remaining for shoe leather,
nGhSp ~ o,,1 ,yJAnalAI.-- l.
receives rice, millet and tea; four times a
week meat and q small quantity of spirits;
while hay, straw and crushed beans are
served out to his steed. There is q 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 its towns, Kirin
and Ningati, being defended by a girdle
Of detached forts, which are built on the
European pattern, and in part provided
with steel plates. The infantry receives
twelve roubles q month, with clothing,
and are armed with the Remington re-.
peating rife, which carries 0 bayonet like
that of the French chassepot.
OFFICERS AND PRrvATEs.
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
old the rank of major; nevertheless, q
major general is not unfrequontly con-
fant 70 oGc,,YnA nnrn-Nanl - IL
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.
III 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 twoG wrestling, etc. They spend their
leisure OF 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 ommon The on-commissioned Of
fcers are trained in a school at Kirin; but
they are not better paid than the ~privates,
their sole privilege being to adorn their
hats with a brass button; but the entire
pack of menials belonging to a generals
establishment assume the distinction as a
matter of course, wherefore it cannot be
held in high estimation. The ammunition
consumed by the troops in Manchuria is
brought by sea from Tien-tsin, but it is
proposed to erect powder mills in the
province itself at Kirin and Tsitsihar.
Articles in the Chinese press which ap-
pear from time to time afford ample proof
that the dangers of Russian aggression
are beginning to be appreciated. The
Chinese have augmented their ironclad
heets' are setting their military institu-
tons on an efficient footing and, what is
quite as significant, have connected Pelin
with Aigun on the river Amoor by a line
of telegraph.-St. James Gazette,
'Humsn Labor for Others
Maj. Powell, the able anthropoloeist,
says in his recent lecture on Evolution"