Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1890-01-10
ClIINA'S ARMY.
a MILLION MEN READY TO
FIGHT FOR THE EMpERoR.
Arms That Are Out Of Date
''horts Being Made 10 Make
the Army Efficient Modern
weapons to be Adopted.

the Army Efficient Modern
Weapons to be Adopted
With regard to the military oryapiza.
.ioh and resources of China much mirh,
DC written, bat, to summarize the chief
iacts, II may be said that the military
organization on paper is only slightly
lesS elaborate than the civil admins
irit'on, and that the Emperor controls
ioFc2s OF nearly 600, 900 armed men
only 10 II large degree the arms arc out
81 Gate and the men unframed. Al
though events have compelled the
authorities to show greater activity
md To increase the number of .roous
by the Information Of fresh corps.
inc division of the army remains
unchanged and goes back 10 the
,l"ie OF the Nancim conquest, when IT
became necessary to organize the per-
lnancnt forces OF the Empire. They
were iiicn divided into three scparat.
bodies, composed of the races to which
lney beionged-Alanchu, Mongol and
Chinese. The NIanchus number CTS
companies of 100 men each. or nearly
10000 fighting men. The AIon.ols fur
nish about $4,000 men; ard the two
combined give what has been generally
caiicu Tic Tartar army. The Chinese
or Green Flag army numbers between
6O0, O00 and 700, 900 men, hut no at
tempt has ye. been made 10 organize this
force for modern var. China is strong
III numbers, even with respect to her
army, which has always been delegated
to an inferior position in hcl community,
prid'ng herself on the .prc-cmincncc of
the educated civilian, but she is lament
ably deficient i'll organization.
or late years strenuous efforts have
been made 10 render efficient those po.-
tons of the Chinese army which are in
trusted with duties that arc considered of
exceptional importance.
The garrison OF Pcking is composed
exclusively of the Tartar or Bannc.
army. The Picking field force is always
commanded by Il general of high rank,
md attcrly it was under the personal
orders of Prince Chun himself The or
ganization oi this force is back ward, ard
only feeble attempts have been made 10
bring mp lis armament to the exigcncics
Of modern war. On the other hand, the
raw material is the best in China. Ii
consists of the elite of the Manchu and
Nlongol Banners, men Of fine physique.
who, unlike the Chinese, believe that
the sword is better than the pen. and
hat courage is superior 10 chicanc. II
tiiat training were taken seriously in hand
China would possess in her northern
province an army which could safe gnard
Picking against amy conceivable invasion.
Greater progress has been made with re-
gard 10 the Tartar army 9arrisoning the
ill-imporiant province Of Manchu:ia.
twenty years ago the garrison of HAT
part Of the Empire consisted Of the
tribal icvieS, armed with bows
and arrows and spears. A flint
lock appeared an engine Of
destruction To-day there are nearly
200, 900 Banncrmch On the rolls in Man
ci:nria alone, and of these it is stated
that one-thirCl ARE armed with Winchcs-
ter and other rifle, and are performing
garrison duties ut Moukdcn. kirin and
on the C>suri. 1t is not conicnded that
these troops are earthly trained, but
ihcy probably possess fighting qualities.
! Leaving wide margin for exaurcr:.-
ton, there is the important fact that
china now has ono strong army to de-
fcnd her capital ;i4;.ins; attack from the
sea, and another 10 oppose ANY assault by
land from the Amour and russian Man
chura. This really means Il complete
revolution in The military position OF
China
Prince Wang considers that the sys-
tenn OF military competitive examinations
should he wholly altered The present
dynasty owes its existence to the prac
iicc OF archery, but the conditions of
warfare have greatly altered, and in
place of the bow and arrow we have
the iron sword and the terrible
cannon, so that reliance can no longer
he placcd upon antiqua,cd weapons. In
Western countries, says Wang, every man
from Prince down 10 The humblest per-
son learns the art OF using firearms, and
even foreigners in China practice rifle
shooting periodically In this manner
| TINY become skilled marksmcn and for
midablc soldiers. lie recommends.
+ therefore, that in the military examine
items, III addition II the practice with
the bow and arrow, lifting stones and
other heavy weights, the competitors be
required to shoot at n target with Il rifle.
and that great honor he bestowed upon
the best marksnan. The successful com
petitor should then be appointed to teach
rifle shooting TO townspcople and others
in the ncighborhcod of his home, so that
all the people may eventually understand
the accurate use of firearms, and he pro-
poses that decree should be issued that
promotion in the army should in future
depend upon the skilled use of firearms.
-Lonion Times
Case Of Cow and Rope.