The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-12-05
WARFO0T|AG Of CHINA.
The Army Upon Which tho Empire
Relies for Protection in
Case Of War.
Forces Badly Disciplined ana
Armed and Undermined by
Many Conspiracies.
hut the Naval Force Is Worthy or a Mod
srn Power-Mneh Superior to
tho Army.

SHANGHAI, China, Got. 2l.-Since matters
ARE beginning to assume so critical a state
in china with regard to the anfety Of for
eign citizenH and missionaries, the condi-
ton of the Chinese army and navy becomes
a matter Of interest.
1t seems beyond a doubt that the riots
and outraRes committed upon foreigners in
the Yang-tse-Kiang valley during the past
sumner wore all prearrangod aud carried
out by n regular band of conspirators,
many of whom occupied important posi-
lions in Chinese military and civil services.
These conspirators, members OF the mighty
Kolai Hui society, had no very decided
onmity against the foreigner as a race,
their real motive being aolely to drive oua
all outsiders from this soil OF China and
retain China for the Chinese.
10 gain this tbs army of China was UNDER
mined by the willy insurrectionists, and the
seeds of discord were 30 we'll planted that
to-day the vast majority of the rank and
hle OF the Chinese army are members of
this powerful revolutionary society.
Human, the province most a~ntagonistio to
foreigner, supplies about SO per cent. Of the
Chinese soldiers, and hence the sowing of
the seeds of discord in such a body of men
was by no means q difficult job.
The Chinese army. az a fighting force in
the znanner in which We understand the
Germ, can be scarcely said to exist. On
paper there are provincial forces desig-
mated as the army of the green standard.
in contradistinction to the Mancher garri-
sons, divided into white, blue, yellow and
red banners, each of which is again
Guh-divided into plain white and bordered
white, plain blue and bordercd blue, etc.
Green is the color distinguishing the Chi
nese troops, and a very shadowy set OF men
they are. These land forces. numbering in
all from four to five hundred thousand
men, are an absolutely effete organization,
discharging the duties Of s~edentary garri-
sons or local constabulary, but superseded
on all occasions when active service is re-
quired by the so-called ''braves," or irreg-
nlar troops, enlisted mi discharged as cir
c~umstances require.
The arms of these troops are of the most
primitive types. The majority carry long
knives or spears, many having only sticks
or clubs. some have modern arms. bat in
the majority of instances their knowledge
OF the use of these is comparatively limited.
The army of Lii Hung Chang, the viceroy of
the province of Chilli. numbering about
$4,000 men. may be said to be the only
large body OF troops in China armed with
improved modern guns and skilled in the
use of them. The a~rsenals in China CON
tain q large supply of modern weapons of
moro Or less approved typea, which, in case
OF actual war. would probably be issued to
the troops, but in peace times the natural
conservatism of the rulers prevents the
troops being given thess arms and taught
their use. Hence, should war with foreign
n III fln IhynnuAn h 0y1~ WI S,,ynV;nJ
with the weapons to meet their enemies,
would be ignorant of how to use them, and
80 would naturally revert to their favored
knives and spears--articles with which they
would not stand the slightest chance of
success when opposed to foreign soldiers.
The divisions of the Chinese army are
quite numerous. and each seems to act in
.dependeptly of the other-in fact, operating
aa almost distinct bodies of troops. The
main division in each province is COM
the name of the generals commands"
division, to which the task of CUR
r~isoning the provincial capital is assigned.
il known cs the governors command" &
and the encouragement has still another
army under hia control. In addi- {
there are also separate military organiza-
lions presided over by the directors general j
of the Yellow river and tho grain transport. (
Row far these various divisions would work I
in harmony with one another, or the prob
Of their ever being united under one G
head, is a question that the best informed {
cannot answer but it may DO safely as 4
summed that, with the conflicting problems i
developed in ordinary warfare, the divis- I
ions would in all probability work indie a
pendentlv of each other. a
China has never COPIED successfully with 4
= foreign force, and probably never will so r
long as the present system is adhered to. &
In actual warfare the enlisted ''irregulars'' G
ire divided under the same general plan as /
The regulars and armed with such weapons i
" the authorities can supply them. The c
officers, however, appointed to command Il
,hese men are not taken from the regular a
'rmy, but from among men, civil or f
military, who are supposed TO haye special n
for warfare: and it is perhaps \
tue to|hls wise system that the irregulars i
re generally moro formidable than the .
eGulars. i
Tbs Chinese soldier has no regard for
aw or order. and Mt any moment may re- X
'olt and become moro dangerous to his v
.%fficers than to the enemv. The amount of D
dependence to be placed upon them in re- :,
100. When stationed to guard the British Y
onsulato from u mob, they stood idly at I
heir posts while the mob burned and plum 4,
cred the building. At IchanR dusing ths ii
ecent riot they were not merely passive ii
pectators, but actually created the dis b
Va "a AShNo lax " .iu' ltlH WHO Sl
resent month information received from
he Province OF Shan-Ioong states that it
incs the death of the recent governor the 8,
roops of that province have lHtly refused fl
0 serve under his successor and virtually a
hteaten to revolt unless they be allowed to il
elect their own generals. 81
Much of this dissatisfaction is duo to un- O,
treatment of the troops BY tho mnrda- T.
ms and officers. An instance of this &C. pl
urred at AmoY last month, where tho nj
oldiers, instead of being given tho pay in
them by the general government, re
given only q part Of their wagon, tho til
being appropriated by the man- nc
nrin. They were informed that tho Off b,
lals considered it best that the unpaid part al
lould not be given them. ms they would ns
aste it in gambling and riotous living. and M
rat it would be paid them lnter on. To te
as the soldiers ut first submitted, but
hen they finally applied for tlsir arrears
pay they were told that ''nnthing was
ne them A revolt Immediately occurred,
'veral of the ~otficlals wero killed, and for nc
time an attack was threatened upon this g.,
'senal, but the arrival of foreign war yeD- '@
ls soon restored o der. co
The Chinese navy is by no means ON tho Ii
me general level as the army, or rather mi
'niies. Being separated in a great degree h,
ON the lnhuence3 which surround the ~
'ldler on shore, the sailor ia free from the H.
mptations and conspiracies which have ".
etfsctually undermined the troops, 81.
asides the seafaring population Of China. ho
wing constantly to struggle hard for an w
nv -hartA y.aA AL. - ~ a -