Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-07-31
JAPAN'S MODERN ARMY.
Chinese Troops md Equipment Are
Both Much Inferior.

a correspondent writes to the London
Times follows: {" The Chinese have sent
an army to the Corea. But il would be as
reasonable to match brave men armed
with pitchforks against brave men armed
with rifles as to pit. man for man, the
Chinese in their present condition against
the japanese.
The Japanese are armed with the Murat
magazine rifle, and there is no better rifle
in Europe. 1t is manufactured at the
arsenal at Toxic; 1900 men are employed,
and 10 rifles turned out day In times of
peace. Its bore is 1903. the same as our Lee
Metford; it is sighted to LOO meters; 1t
carries ten rounds in the magazine on the
Remington principle; the bullet is lead,
coated with copper-that metal being clen-
tiful in Japan. The Geneva conven ton Las
no jurisdiction here, the copper bullet
Is not tabooed.
THE Japanese cavalry are we'll equipped.
though. to our ideas, badly mounted. but
they are thoroughly aware OF their short
cOmings, and are taking steps to remedy
them by degrees. The horse they are
mounted on is. after ALL the horse of the
country. and no animal could be better
adapted for service in Japan or the Corea.
The same implies to the artillery horses,
which are simply fourteen hand ponies, but
strong and hardy to marvellous degree.
Their field guns are Seven-pounders, made
a
its name. but it's action is simple and rapid
and resembles krupp's. They have also
twelve-pounder Krupps and heavy Arm
strong guns for the defense of forts.
Their drill Is that of the German army
twenty years ago They are precise and
steady, and the officers know their work
and how to teach 1t. In the cavalry swords
were carried on the saddle until the EN-
peror one day remarked 1t, and said that
only gentlemen wore swords. and the horse
Is not a gentleman, so swords are now
worn on the body.
"One great feature In all the barracks Is
the gymnasium. The men are thoroughly
trained in this department. and some of
the feats 1 saw performed by cavalry re-
cruits of the guard at their annual general
inspection last year would have done credit
to any circus.
Their wonderful neatness. completeness
and regularity is what struck me most
Everything was tidy. everything was ready.
everything was there. Their only trouble
was the wearing of European boots. Men
who had all their lives been accustomed to
straw sandals having to thrust their feet
into hard leather boxes. so to speak, very
soon went lame. movement was on foot
a few months back to shoe them with
leather sandals, which obviate the evil
Whether this has been done or not / can
not tell. But this Is the only thing l no.
ticed that required alteration after a very
careful inspection of the three arms, both
guards and line
The troops they remind me most of are
our Indian Goorkhas. and Of all the native
and colonial troops that have seen-and I
have seen most of them-I would. next to
Goorkhas. prefer regiment of Japanese.
They are brave. temperate. patient and
energetic, and though the Chinese might be
made. under European officers. as fine SOL
diers as they are, at this moment they are
about POO years behind them, and al
though the victory Is not always to the
strong. as we found out in the Roer cam
paign, from all data that a soldier can
Judge by the Japanese should beat the
Chinese in Corea with the greatest ease"