The Hazel Green herald. [volume] (Hazel Green, Wolfe County, Ky.) 1885-19??, 1894-09-20
CHINA'S WAR FORCE.
STRENGTH AND EQUIPMENT OF THE
ARMY AND NAVY.
Troops Commanded by German and Amer
lean Officers, and Armed with I'm
proved weapons--The Chi
nese as Soldiers.
PROVINCIAL FORCES ENLISTED.

emma has made great ellOTIS III Tue ldst
few years to bring her army and navy
nearer the standards of those of western
nations, says the New York Tribune.
The total strength of the army is about
10000 men, of whom more than 100000
are permanently stationed for the garri-
son of the city of Picking, and others
being scattered throughout the various
provinces of the empire. Besides these
there is an Informed organization, which
might be called militia, which gets
small pay and never serves with the col
ors. The discipline of the army is good,
and so far as military punishments are
concerned there is hardly more strin-
gent organization in the world. As
fighting force, however, in the opinion of
most foreign military men, the Chinese
army has never counted for much. But
the last few years may have made great
difference in this regard, as the Ameri-
can, German and English officers en-
ployed by the government have done all
in their power to effect proper changes.
In addition to the troops mentioned.
there are the various provincial forces
which are enlisted, paid and controlled
by the viceroys of the provinces and
mandarins of the cities in which they
may be chartered. These are known as
the "army of the green standard" in con-
tradistinction to the Manchu divisions
the real Chinese soldiers, divided into
red, white, blue and yellow divisions,
so-called from the color of their battle
flags.
The arms of most of these troops were
until recently of the most primitive type,
and consisted principally of long spears
or knives secured to long poles, bows and
arrows and clubs. Within the last few
wears, however, many of these battalions
have been provided with the most i'm
proved modern arms. Two years ago
several Chinese officials were sent to Eu-
rope to negotiate for the purchase of suf-
ficient modern rifles to arm the entire
forces garrsoning the frontiers of Sibe-
ria, Tonquin and along the sea coast
The army of Ii Hung Chang, the Chi
nese prime minister and viceroy OF the
province of Chilli, numbers about lOO,-
600 men, and is the flower of the empire.
These troops are armed with modern
rifles, and have for years been under the
leadership of German and American Off
GERS, who have brought them up to
state of discipline and efficiency hardly
second to any similar body of foreign
troops. 1t is the possession of this army,
in love with its chief, which has made
him so independent. Chilli is regarded
as the gate to Peking, hence the care and
attention bestowed upon the troops form
ing its garrison.
The Chinese confine themselves chiefly
to infantry. The total cavalry force of
the active army is only 10000, and of
artillery 10000. There is, however, an
irregular" class of cavalry which may
number nearly 100000. This force is
armed in the most primitive fashion.
The navy is different stamp from the
army, and the sailors have been longer
under the influence of foreign officers.
They are also more trustworthy. Sepa-
rated as they are from the influences
which surround the men on shore, the
sailors are free from the temptations and
conspiracies which have undermined the
troops. The class of men employed on
the vessels is also better. The naval Off
GERS have been educated in the various
naval academies by foreign instructors,
and are taught and disciplined according
to the systems in vogue in the service of
the United States, England and France.
The imperial government supports
three naval colleges for the education of
cadets or officers-one at Tien Tsin, an.
other at Wei Hai-Woi and the third at
Foo-Chow. The instructors are grad
yates of naval academies of foreign coun-
tries, those of Annapolis predominating.
The system of instruction is as thorough
as the Chinese boy can grasp, but is