The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1893-08-20
CHINA TRAINING FOR VAR.
Her Extraordinary Progress During the
Past Few Years.


| Past Few Years.
NJ. Henri Bryos. the correspondent OF tho
Figaro OF Paris. at present travelling in China.
| gives the following account Of the naval and
military preparations which are going on in
the Celestial Empire:'
"A fact OF the highest Importance. which
for all that has escaped the notice Of diplomat
lists. consuls. and my English confreres OF the
| East has just como to light In China ! mean
| the sudden transformation Of the old and
| childish method OF warfare SO long In use In
that country. The Chinese art Of war has be-
| come thoroughly modernized. and tends to
rival that Of the western nations. The
| illustrious man who has brought about
| this radical transform alton is the Vice
| roy Ii Hong-Tchang. 1t is at Tientsin that he
| is operating. Tientsin Is the industrial centre
| OF war material, whore the agents of Canet.
| krupp. and the Armstrongs. enter into compe-
tition for the acceptance OF their deadly wares.
In tho tournaments OF these rivals. the Ger
| mans have almost always carried Off the
prizes At Port Arthur. in the province Of
Petchili. there are splendid cruisers. battle
ships. and gunboats built with all the recent
improvements OF naval sciences. It is note
worthy that regular fleet has been created
here in less than six years.
" Since the last Franco Chinese war the Co.
lestcs have opened their eyes. That great.
sleepy people has become aroused. Ii Hong
Tchang has rudely shaken OF their night
covering. He has undertaken tho task OF
waking them up thoroughly. He can claim
the honor of having created genuine soldiers.
organized in European style. and armed with
the improved modern rifles.
ION visiting the Imperial Military School al
Tientsln. had chance to SEQ the soldiers
manRuyrinR. Their exercises had tho trade
mark OF their training. Their movements.
indicated that German Instructors. had been
there. Il Hong -Tchans has reformed tho
"A German artillery officer. Major Won Rich
ter. has been commissioned by me viceroy to
say IN the T provnee Of Petch Hho tsS ono
ser from Berlin is Installed at the arsenal ut
nG p Of t6s 9f h hs his drsc
guantitics q shot, shell, ana sehrapael. fhs
Such t. the progress in China The de-
her present aim IS to, ma within herself the the
She was formerly obliged to procure elsewhere.
She is erecting upon different points OF her
ar.ess s1rRsppn nnS anG WsS
change completely the national. character Of
ss soury By 81 in the
little place short time ago has now become,
In less than a year. military post OF the first
order, which H. destined In the future to out
strip all the others. 1t Is the centre OF great
works and gigantic foundries workshops.
From Han Yang. which IL the central and
about to Pc butt which viii ioin Feiin to the
All tho lnateIia! for the manufacture Of
small arms il at Han-ianL. II forms tho
model which the Chinese will rapidly learn to
copy from. They will very soon be in u posi-
ton to dispense entirely with the services Of
their European teachers.
,.,Ths arsenal OF Nankin. which was per-
tirely modern. 1t is supilisd with ali the
modern material for tho ,manul actirs OF ON
Gines Of war; and from this place gums and
rifles are abundantly supplied to the army.
The rifles that are made at Nankin are soma
thing new. They are Ike our duck guns.
very heavy. and ARE handled by two mon
But their range 10 extremely long. l have
procured some OF the cartridges OF those guns.
They are furnished with metallic cases.
This Nankin arsenal provides for every,
sizes and forms. and one large section of the
building Is devoted entirely to the construc-
ton OF the artillery OF the feet found there
guns OF the Hotchkiss Maxim. and Nordenfeld
:" but II is not necessary to enter into further
details and to multiply examples. What l |
have seen In the centre OF China exists also In |
the north and In the south. Throughout the |
a feverish activity. China is working for war.
and the time will soon como when she will BIO |
supplied with armaments equal In quantity |
and in number to those OF the greatest Euro |
pean nations"