New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-08-14
CHINESE ARMY AND NAVY.
MARKED IMPROVEMENT IN WEAPONS AND
DRILL-CORRUPTED BY A VAST
CONSPIRACY.
Pekin. China, May 20.

Pekin. China. May 90
| Since the serious troubles which China ex-
perienced in connection with the demands maze
upon her Of reparation for the attacks MADE last
| year upon foreign residents and MISSIONARIES She
has been making strenuous efforts to build up her
| national defenca,. When the various foreign
Powers concerned began to press about her for in
| IDENTITIES with vagwe threats Of what might iol-
low were not the demands acceded to. China fully
realized her helplessness, and while endeavoring
| unsuccessfuy TO put aside such claims as could
| be- has lost no opportunity of putting herself III
| a condition to resist all further eXactlons should
she think such course advisable. The chinese
army and navy are organizations which foreigners
have never held in high esteem, nor paid any
serious attention to. even when forced TO meet
| them in hostile combat. This has been due solely
| TO the fact that the arms and the leaders OF
| China's military forces have always been OF the
most primitive and incompetent styles. against
which it was play for modern armed and drilled
troops or sailors to compete. But now matters
have changed. and although the change is neither
perfect nor complete, yet it is such as to make any
Nation which could not put force of consid-
cradle strength in China. think twice before ell
gazing in hostilites with this Empire
During the recent Instructions so prevalent
throughout China the outragcs committed upon
/
band of conspirators whose methods show great
gcnius for orpanization and execution Of plans en-
| bodyinr large masses of men and covering large
| areas of territory. Many Of these leaders were
military and civil officials ranking high in the
Chinese service, who thinking that the advent Oh
foreigners was working dircful harm to the Celes-
tial Empire determined to band together and drive
| them out and retain China for the Chinese. In
order to carry this point, spies were sent all over
| the Empire and set TO work to undermine the en-
tire Chinese army. Their success was so great
and 80 well were the seeds OF discord sown that
| il may be confidently claimed that the vast ma
jorty Of the Imperial army. rank and hle. nave
| bccomc ready 70 rise at any moment that their
| conspring leaders may tell them. This movement
has been going on for many years but not until
recently have such rapid strides been made
toward it's consummation. Whenever TINS
body of men should be called into the
| immortal service TO defend foreigners from such
| outraces as were last year committed upon them.
| IL will at least be difficult il not dangerous
task for the Government TO retain the controlling
| hand and prevent the army from doing Just what
was intended to prevent.
The total strength Of the Chinese army is about
| GOO GOO mon of whom more than 200, 900 are per-
manently stationed for the garrison OF TINS city
| the remainder being scattered throughout the
various provinces Of the Empire. Besides these
| there is an Informed organization which might
he termed militia, which gets small pay ana
never serves with the colors The discipline is
good and so far as military punshments are con-
cerncd there is hardly more stringent organHa-
ton in the world As fighting force. however.
| the Chinese army does not count for much But
with the changes now rapiy taking place, this de-
feet will be in great measure remcdled ana ere
long the American and other foreign officers now
cmpovcd 10 organize and develop Chlnas mill
tary and naval strength will have put this huge
force on strong footing. Besides these troops
there are the various provincial forces whlcn arc
enlisted. paid and controlled by the vlccroys OF
| he provinces and mandarns Of the cities IN "hich
,hev may I've quartcrcd These are known rs the
Army of the Green Standard in contradis'inction
70 the Manchu divsions-the real Ch1nese
.o,dicrs-dividcd in red, white. blue and yellow
divisions socalcd from the color Of their battle
| flags
The arms Of these troops Of the most prm-
1.-Two tvncs and consist principally Of long spears
or knives. secured TO long poles. bows and arrows
and cluh- But within the last year many OF
,besc hottaIions have been provided with tho most
| imnroved modern arms and the work OF rearmng
| continues as rapidly az the foreign contractors
| can suppy the rifles and munitions "eNrrai
| Chinese officials were sent to Europe Iast IAN
and summer to negotiate for the purchase OIL
sufficient modern rifles to arm the entire forces
,arrisoning the frontiers Of Siberia ana lohdui"
! and .lopo tbe scacoast This is TO be pushed IA
| onidl,. os nossiblc and when il is completed AZ
| ,on,or will bc turned 10 the inland and western
| ,,,rrisona The army Of Iii Hung Chang, the
Chinese Prime Minister. and Viceroy OF the
| Province Of Chilli. numbers about louooo
| IhAsa
| mon and is the flower Of the Empire. iherc
80 ORC orr,cd with modern rifles. and have for
| several years past been under the iea"erS"ip ~
American and German officers. who have brought
,ro,, nm 20 n state Of discipline and efficiency
,ar,, socord to any similar body of foreign troops
chilli ia REGARDED as the gate TO Picking hence the
oro and attention bestowed upon the troops form
| ,c its Garrison At various times China has pnr-
| chased supplcs Of arms and Of munitions OF war
| M moro or less modern types, which IN case ol
| mood would form good reserve. These she keeps
| IN her nrscnals at the larger seaport cities
Tho Chinese soldier has no regard for law and
| o,dor and desptc the strict discipline and riga
| MN. hmcnts inflicted cannot he held always IN
bounds Particularly is this the case now. whch
| the seeds Of instruction are sown so gcncfahF
| throughout the entire mass. Evidences OF 'e
| inability of the mandarins to control theh NV
soon freoucntlv When they were stationed to
| gpard tho British Consulate nj Ching King from
| mob. they stood passivcy by and allowed the
! mob to burn and plumber the building; ana again
AT Ichanc. where they joined the mob and assis'eu
| in Numbering the foreign quarter only le"
| months ago the provincial troops OF Shantnn1
| refused 20 serve under the generals appointed 10
| control them, and demanded the privilege OF se-
| Letting their own officers. Mach OF TINS disS''S-
| faction is due to the Incompetence of the officers
Amounted to rule the troops, and on account OF
| the frauds which the mandarins impose upon
| them in the manner Of not paying them 'heil
wages and appropriating to their own use 1000
and other supplies intended for the troops by tne
| Imperial Government. In a country so Dadiy
| ruIcd as China no hone for redress from the