The Portland daily press., 1894-09-21
Further Details Of the Naval
Battle.
WHY CHINA'S FLEET WAS so
INEFFECTIVE.
1t Is Said To Be Lacking in Engineers
and Firemen While the Commanders
Know Little of Navigation-Too Much
Economy in Running Expenses Has
Been Attempted.

| Washington, September l9.-There has
! been much surprise felt here at the useless
1 ness Of the Chinese fleet in the war against
| Japan. The former power has in commits
| sion sixty European built and modelled
vessels. Twenty-three of these are of the
best modelled types of their class Sixteen
are heavy ironclad ships and cruisers, with
| the batteries belonging to their class, of
| Krupp and Armstrong, Pallisser and Whit
worth six and eight inch rifles. With such
| armaments, and being equal to anything of
| their tonnage and weight of battery that
Japan has, why has the Chinese fleet not
given better account OF itself in the late
naval act ions with Japans The reasons for
| this are furnished to the intelligence de-
partments of both France and England
| not for general publication. but solely for
| the informa tion of the admiralty and naval
officers.
China's fleet has accomplished nothing,
for two causes. The first is that China is
short of naval officers; the second and it is
almost as important as the first is the near
ly total collapse of the steam engineering
department Of the navy. Befores the present
war began the chief engineers on all the
primo ipal modern cruisers and war vessels
were Europeans. Service under native
captain in the Chinese fleet was never
very agreeable at best. Nothing but the
large compensation they received kept them
In their places. Wnen the war began and
the natural anita gonism between the two
races became pronounced, every English
and Scottish chief engineer quit the SER
vice. They were soon followed by the Ger
mans and the few other foreigners Though
the Chinese art1fcer is good metal worker,
be does not comprehend the scientific
features of high class steam engineering.
He has no text books In his language, and
he cannot read English, French or German.
Thus the Chinese ironelads have not bad
their highest qualities IN the matter of
speed developed, becuse their engineers did
not know how to produce the best effects.
Another most serious Weakness is lack of
proper stocking. All naval officers are
well aware of the vast Importance of good
'hring'' on men-of-war. Even with the
best trained fremen IN the world. we often
fall short In obtaining the highest speed be-
cause of imperfect firing. The Chinaman is
not stoker at all by nature and it is diff
cult to make one out OF him by training.
They seem to be unable to understand how
the boilers should be treated and the fur
naces managed Their local coal too is
,an, hod .nd &c Enalisb co.I = av,a,,s;,,.
'o.' D'e' NAN % ms 80, ooNA - % ponei'e
it is the object of the Chinese naval COM
mander to consume as little as possible on
,be score Of economy
eiie aooio " ooonoy.
China will never be naval power until
her high officials learn that a good fleet
cannot car bs main1ained excant a. a araat 80 -
0annoe oo .' iis'in "a inou eAoep a0 sfeae eA-
pense. There is not native captain. or
even an admiral who would dare unler-
49, ~ oiro,,r,,,ax ~ o,,.ha 60
~ e"Ao w oiio u1ia is@'o eNo siooe-4 oniAa
up to this time, has meyer had much need
for a seagoing feet .a@ lis service has chiefly
dan.nded vassaIs of tho t,at
oellanoeu Sesseis oi thes sunpoat oroer that
could be used In the shallow waters of
sounds and rivers. Thev are not sailors at
s1l And To-, +ba+ tbau 90 o-snssts ~
ai' Anu how eh'' 'Aes are confronted py
conditions that were unexpected and un-
ureuared for. thew do not in the least nm
a.ust.d 49, 4bax ah,,,a NJ
oei s.ene "n". ones snouiu w. ihe oAinese
mind is slow at grasplng or comprehending
new conditions. This is why they are SO
-.,-a,. tat;.,d I. -
muGh oenlha Japan Japan N she comprehension