Weekly independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 1887-1914, 1893-10-29
TRAINING FOR A
Naval md Military Preparations
In the Celestial Empire.
The Sleepy Chinese becoming Aroused TO
Their Dcfeuseless Co1ditIon Arc frS-
yIdIaE Themselves with Improved
Impism<nts OF War.

VI. Henri Bryos, the correspondent.
of the Figaro of Paris. at present trav-
cling in China, gives the following ac-
count of tho naval and military prep
arations which arc going on in the
Celestial empire:
A fact of the highest Importance.
which for all hat has escaped the no
tice OF diplomstists, ~consulS- and my
English confrcrcs of the east, has just
conc to light in China. l mean the
sudden transformation of the old and
childish method of warfare so long in
use in hat country. The Chinese art
of war has become thoroughly modern
ICED. and tends to rival that of the
western nations. The illustrious man
who has brought about this radical
transformation Il Niccroy Ii Hong
Tchang. 1t is A. Tieatsin that he is
operating. Tientsin Is the industrial
cnter of war material. where the
agents of Carct. Krrpp and the Arm
strongs enter into competition for the
acceptance Of thcir deadly wares. In
the tournament of the rivals the Ger
mans hare almost always carried oil
the prizes At Port Arthur, in the
province of rctchili, there are splendid
cruisers. hattlcships and grnboats,
built with all the recent improvements
OF naval science. II is noteworthy that
r regular fleet has been created here
in less than six years
Since the last Tranco-Chinese wGr
the Cclcstials have opened their eyes
That great. sleepy people has become
aroused. Ii Hong-Tchang has ruiely
shaken of their night covering. lie
has undertaken the task of waking
them up thoroughly. He can claim the
honor of having created genuine sol
diers. organized in European style. and
armed with tie improved modern rifles.
On visiting the Imperial military
school at Tientsin ] had n chance TO see
the soldiers maueuvcring. Their excr-
cises had the trade mark OF their
training. Their movements. regular.
stif and sturdy. and their heavy and
noisy march. with automatic precision,
clearly indicated that German instruc-
tors Rad been there. Il IIonG-Tchang
has reformed the army Of China.
4 German artillery officer. Maj. Won
Richter, has been commissioned by the
viccroy to organize the Few army OF
the north. hat is TO say, IN the prov
ince Of Pctchili. Another officer from
I Z - Isl I!4CN Al TIC SIStIiG4 al
Ti!;ou, not ta= from the forts that com
I.aui the of the Pei Ho.
Under his direction Chinese workGnca
turn o-t enormous quantities of shot.
she'll and schrapncl. The Iirupp cstaJ-
lishment supplies the forts and ram
parts with guns of the latest pat
tern.
Such is the progress in China. The
destructive industry is booming in that
country. Chiua is arming and a-Taing
forTnidably. and her present ain is to
find within herself the military re-
sources and the war materin! that she
was formerly obliged 10 procure else
where. She is erecting upon different
points Of her immense territory nu-
mcrous and important a~rsenals. work
shops and toundrics, which change
completely the national character Of
the country by modifying it in the Eu-
ropean sense. The city of IIar-Yanp.
an insignificant little place a short
time ago. has now become, in less than
a year. a military post Of the first or.
der, which Is destined in the future 20
outstrip Ell the others. 1t Is the CEN
ter of great works and gigantic foun-
dries, workshops, b~rickyards and rife
factories.
From Han-Yang, which is the CEN
trail and strategic point of the empire.
n railway is about to be built which
will join Pekin to the north and Can-
ton.
The arsenal of Sankin. which ] was
permitted to inspect, Is q vast on
struction, entirely modern. 1t is sup
piled with all the modern material for
The manufacture OF engines Of war:
End from this place guns and rifles are
n~bundantly supplied TO the army. The
rifles that are made ut Eanl.in arc
something new. They are like our
ducls-guns, very heavy. and arc ham
died by two men. But their range Is
extremely long. I have procured some
of'thc cartridges OF these guns. They
arc furnished with metallic cases.
This Nanl:!n arsenal provides for
everything. There arc inolls for shells
OF different sizes and forms. and one
large section OF the building is devoted
entirely to the construction of the ar
tillcry OF the feet. I found there guns
OF the l~Iotchl;iss, Maxim and Norlcn-
field patterns.
But 1t is not necessary TO enter into
further details and to multiply exam.
pies. What | have seen in the center OF
China exists nlso In the north and in
the south. Throughout the empire
the manufacture OF arms goes on with
n fcvcrish activity. China is working
for war. and the time will soon come
when she will be supplied with armn-
ments equal in quantity and In number
10 thos OF the greatcst European ma
tions. e..