Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1890-02-06
CHINA'S GREAT ARMY.
A Standing Force of Over One Million
Armed Men.
Scantily Equipped Soldiers = Their
Weapons Are Out of Date and
the Men Are Unframed.

With regard to the military organiza-
ton and resources of China, much might
be written, says d London correspondent
to the New York Star, but to summarize
the chief facts it may be said thai the
military organization on paper is only
slightly less elaborate than the civil adj
ministration, and that the Emperor con-
trolls forces of nearly million armed
men, only, to large degree, the arms are
out of date and the men unframed. Al
though events have compelled the author
titles to show greater activity and to in
crease the number of troops by the formal
ton of fresh corps, such as Ii Hung
son in Manchuria and Central Asia, the
division of the army remains unchanged,
and goes back to the date of the Manchu
conquest, when it became necessary to or
ganize the permanent forces of the Empire.
They were then divided into three separate
bodies composed of the races of which
they belonged = Manchu, Mongol and
Chinese. The Monchus number 67S COM
panies of 100 men each, nearly 10000
fighting men, The Mongols furnish about
5000 men, and the two combined give
what has generally been called the Tartar
Army The Chinese or Green Flag Army
between 800, 900 and zoo, 900 men,
but no attempt has yet been made to or
ganize this force for modern war. China
is strong In numbers, even in respect to
her army, which has always been relegated
to an inferior position in her community,
priding itself on the pre-eminence of the
educated civilian, but is lamentably defci-
ent IN organization.
Of late years strenuous efforts have been
made to render efficient those portions of
Chinese Army which are intrusted with
duties that are considered of exceptional
importance. The army of Ii Hung Chang,
garrisoning the metropolitan province of
Pechihli, has for twenty years been sub
jected to stricter discipline than. the
rest, caused as much by Lis experience of
war, gained against the Tasping rebels In
cooperation with Gen. Gordan, as by the
desire to save the Capital. This force
known as the model corps or Black Flag
Army, numbers ABOUT $4,000 men, and is
intrusted with the special duty of garri-
soning Port Arthur, the forts at Taku, and
on the Peiho and Tientsin. If China pos
sesses such thing as an efficient corps
d 'armee it is to be found in this force,
which is mainly recruited from the
Chinese population. The men are well
armed, and there are many foreign IN,
structors, among whom Germans are most
numerous. The late Gen. Prjevalski was
skeptical of the military value of even this
force, but other and equally competent
critics entertain no doubt that it is a fairly
efficient body of troops, and that the work
to be done namely, the defence of forts
is peculiarly suited to them.
The garrison of Pekin is still composed
exclusively of the Tartar or Banner Army
The Pekin field force is always commanded
by Manchu of high rank, and latterly it
was under the personal orders of Prince
Chun himself. The organization of this
force is backward, and only feeble attempts
have been made to bring up its armament
to the exigencies of modern war. On the
other hand, the raw material is the best in
China. 1t consists of the elite of the
Manchu and Mongol Banners, men of fine
physique, who, unlike the Chinese, believe
that the sword is better than the pen, and
that courage is superior to chicanery. If
their training were taken seriously In
hand China would possess In her northern
province an army which could safely guard
Pekin against any conceivable invasion.
Greater progress has been made with re-
gard to the Tartar Army garrisoning the
province of Manchur1a.
Twenty years ago the garrison of that part
of the Empire consisted of the tribal levies
armed with bows and arrows and spears.
A flint rock appeared an engine of destruc-
ton. To-day there are nearly two hum
i +loO
alone, and of these it is stated
that one-third are armed with Winchester
and other rifles, and are performing gar
rison duties at Moukden, Kirin and on the
Ussuri. It is not contended that these
troops are yet as carefully trained as the
model corps Lii, but they probably possess
superior fighting qualities.
Leaving a wide margin for exaggera-
ton there is the important fact that
China now has one strong army to defend
her capital against attack from sea and
another to oppose any assault by land from
the Amour and Russian Manchuria. This
really means complete revolution In the
military position of China.
Prince Wang considers that the system
of military competitive examination should
be wholly altered. The present dynasty
owes its existence to the practice of arch
cry, but the conditions of warfare have
greatly altered, and in place of the bow and
arrow we have the iron sword and terrible
cannon, so that reliance can no longer be
placed on Anticipated weapons. In West
ern countries, says Wang, every man from
the prince down to the humblest person,
learns the art of using firearms, and even
foreigners in China practice rife shooting
periodically.
In this manner they became skilled
marksmen and formidable soldiers. He
therefore, that in the mill
tary examinations, In addition to the
practice with the bow and arrow. lifting
! tones and other heavy weights, the COM
petitors be required to shoot at target
with rife, and that great honor be be-
slowed upon the best marksman.
The successful competitor should then be
appointed to teach townspeople and others
in the neighborhood of his home, so that
all people may eventually understand the
use of firearms, and he proposes that de-
cree should be issued that promotion in
the army should in future depend upon the
skilled use of firearms