The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1894-10-09
THE CHINESE POSITION.
A NATION WITHOUT MILITARY
ORGANIZATIONS.
An Army would be In the way-How
Mandarians Prepare for War
Japan's Victory Expected.

At the close of long article on the
Oriental war the San Francisco Exami
ner sums up the Chinese position in the
following paragraphs:
In the present year another rebellion
broke out. Japan proposed joint
occupation, as provided in the treaty,
until the reforms necessary to restore
tranquility could be definitely carried
out. But the King of Korea, according
TO the official Chinese version of the
incident, sent written application for
Chinese assistance. The troops were
sent, the rebels dispersed, "and our
army, having brought merciful relief to
the distressed people, meditated vic
torious retirement. To our astonish-
ment, Japan also dispatched troops to
Korea, pretending that it was for the
purpose of assisting to quell the rebel
lion, but their real object being to
occupy Seoul, which they did, posting
themselves at all the important passes. y
While the Chinese were wasting their
time with the Corean rebels the Japan
ese promptly established themselves in
the heart of the country. They took
possession of the capital, and secured
the person of the King, which enabled
them to act as defenders of legitimate
authority. For some time Japan and
China continued to strengthen their
positions without coming to open hos
tilities. The first actual fighting &C.
CURED on July Goth, when the japanese
cruiser Naniwa attacked and sank the
British merchant steamer Kow Shung
while carrying 1900 Chinese troops to
Korea. From this time the Japanese
took the aggressive. Their operations
were scientifically planned and exc
cuted with admirable energy and pre-
cision. On August Goth they con-
cluded treaty of alliance with Korea,
nominally sat the request of the Korean
Government" This instrument sets
forth that "the object of the alliance is
to accomplish the independence of
Korea, to secure the integrity of her
territory and to promote the common
interests of the two countries by driving
out the Chinese troops
Japan undertakes to carry on both
offensive and defensive operations
against China, while Korea promises to
give every possible facility to the Japan
ese troops in their movements and to
provide supplies of provisions. 1t is
agreed that the treaty shall remain in
force so long as the present hostilities
between Japan and China continue"
After various minor engagements a
Chinese army was destroyed at Ping
Yang, the Chinese fleet was defeated at
the mouth of the Yalu, and now sec
ond severe defeat has been inflicted
upon the Chinese land forces near
Mukden.
The Japanese successes were expected
by well-informed observers. OF China
and her reputation for undeveloped
strength, Henry Norman said in re-
cent article in the Contemporary Reuiew:
1.-The role of sleeping leviathan suits
her perfectly, but she well knows that
the first step she might take would
destroy the illusion upon which her
security is based. What she likes is to
remain perfectly quiescent while the
world trembles to think what she might
do if aroused"
The actual truth, according to the
same writer, is that "China has long
been destined to be the prey of the first
armed conner. Fortunately for herself
but unfortunately for the interests of
other countries, this has been Japan.
She has no illusions about China, end
she is engaged in prckiEg the bubble"
China has not even rudimentary
military organization. She has no
means of mobilizing, concentrating or
maintaining troops, and a great army
near her capital would be more danger
Gus to the imperial dynasty than to the
enemy. Corruption has paralyzed her
military and naval services. Three
fourths of the pay of her forces is syste
matically stolen by the officers. The
dispatches in yesterdays Examiner told
how the ammunition and even the guns
of the Chinese warships had been sold
by the captains. Most of the officers
have no knowledge whatever of their
profession, and discipline is utterly I'M
known. Admiral Ting was cavalry
general before he became naval COM
mander, and he got that position by
passing an examination in the Chinese
classics!
warship, and the officer who was doing
the honors desired to show him an
elegant new rapid-fi fire gun. The canvas
cover was taken off and the breech
chamber was found tilled with chop
sticks rice and pickles, the weapon hav-
ing served one of the messes as
pantry. The critic remarks:
at would be discouraging 10 Euro
pean engineer who should be appointed
to Chinese ship to find that if there
were any subordinate boiler small
enough for the purpose it had probably
been used for stewing dog.
On one occasion a superb set of
machinery for making Hotchkiss gun
cartridges was ordered from Europe.
When it reached China there was dis.
pute as to which of two mandarins
should have it and it was divided be
tween them, the disjointed fragments
of the plant being now several hundreds
of miles apart.
1t is hardly surprising that Japan,
alert, intelligent and patriotic, with her
navy commanded by Annapolis gradu-
ates and her army lad Inv nunils Of 81