The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1894-07-27

test, impossible to say whether the Japan
csc soldier possesses that pre-eminent and
supreme military quality-valor; but there
is no reason TO suppose he does not, and,
without doubt. he has those other military
virtues-discipline, perseverance and great
endurance-which go far TO create the true
martial spirit; while at the same time mill
tary service is popular, and the men have
a happy, healthy, contented appearance.
They are short, but quite sturdy looking.
In fact their physique leaves little 10 be
desired and the military hospitals are re-
markedly empty. Given good organiZa-
ton, a thorough, practical military train
ing, and the above mentioned qualities, Ii
is impossible to deny that the Japanese
army is one that has to be taken seriously.
The numerical difference between China
and Japan is partly made up by the bright
ness OF the japanese and their energy and
perseverance. and the fact that Japan has
long since adopted the European system of
organization and training. The lack of
uniformity among the Chinese troops is
further offset to the disparity in numbers.
THE TWO NAVIES
In respect of naval strength Japan shows
to better advantage. The Viceroys of Chi
nese provinces have some flotillas of their
own, which make the estimate of actual
imperial naval strength little difficult to
fix. However, in the entire navy there are
included perhaps 100 vessels of various
sorts. These comprise four ironclads, more
than forty cruisers and gunboats, not far
from thirty torpedo boats and various other
craft The advance made of late years
by the Chinese navy has been very marked
Besides ordering a fleet of gunboats and
many fast cruisers in Europe she has
founded a navy yard at FoochoW, where
war vessels of various kinds are built
Thanks also to the work of Captain Lang
of the British navy, who was made an
admiral in the Chinese service, the per-
sonnet of the latter has been very much
improved. There are three academies for
the education of officers, the instructors
being mostly foreigners.
On the other hand, Japan has also made
striking advances in the same direction.
The foundation of the modern Japanese
navy. which now includes nearly sixty
vessels of all sorts, was begun few
and the restoration of the Mikado to power
in 1869 Commander Tracy and several 9th
er officers of the British navy were en-
gagged to give the native officers and men
instruction, but soon afterward the revolu-
ton took place and all the arrangements
were upset: During the troubles that fol-
lowed the Prince of Hizen engaged Lieut..
Halves, of the British Royal Marines, as
instructor i'm gunnery to the seamen of
his own class. Halves, says a recent writer
on the subject, may be fairly entitled TO
the credit of having founded the modern
navy, for he subsequently occupied many
other similar positions in the imperial
navy to that he held upder the Prince of
About ten years later the British govern
ment lent another commission of about
thirty officers, and naval college was
liar to that in use in the English naval
gunnery school. Several of the higher
tive officers were educated in England, and
napolis and in Holland. The British COM
mission returned TO England several years
ago, but the japanese government still re-
tans or two English officers in its
Among the vessels in the Japanese navy
may be noted an armorclad, about dozen
cruisers, some of them of the finest Eng
lish construction. about the same number
OF gunboats and school ships, and, per-
dol a -lEt
defenders and corYetteS are also among the
number The attention of own country
was called to Japans naval improvement
| a model for the Charleston years ago, and
the crack cruiser of her day. A sister
ship was also built by the Armstrong;, and
two other modern cruisers were constructed
at La Soyne, in France. Meanwhile a dock
yard founded in Yokoskua, in Japan,
and there various other vessels were con-
structed. including a coast defender.
] launched in 1891. Still other vessels were
built in Toxic and Kobe. Torpedo boats
| were ordered from Thornycroft, and others
| We're constructed in Japan on similar mod
| els. A second large navy yard for ship
building was founded at Sassobo. But,
| while thus encoura cling home manufa cture
| Japan has continued to get the benefit of
| foreign skill. as shown lately by her fam
| Gus Elswick cruiser GOshino. She is of
1900 tons, and on her official trial exceeded
| tWenty-three knots as the result of four
| runs on the measured mile.
| CHINAS POWERFUL NAVY.
The Japanese themselves acknowledge
| that China can show a greater number of
| powerful ships than they. But they rely
much on their fine and powerfully armed
| cruisers and strong force of torpedo boats
and they will doubtless be found we'll pre-
pared for action should hostilities break
out. Finally, it may be noted that in the
event of war, the Corean army will not
| count for much on whichever side its
weight may be cast. 1t is both small and
| il-organiZed. 1t does not number more
than seven thousand men. and no apprecia-
| bic proportion of it is capable of taking the
| field in serious warfare.
| 1t is strong in drummers and standard
| bearers, but the household calvary is
mounted on old and seedy ponies and pro-
| tected by helmets which are credibly stated
to have been in use for four centuries;
the infantry is armed with matchlocks of
| perhaps equal antiquity, and the artillery
appears TO be mainly represented by a
couple of eating guns. A rabble of this
kind, even If it could be induced TO face
the invaders could not stand for many
minutes against large body of troops dis
| ciplined on European principles and armed
with weapons of precision.
| Mr.. Henry Norman, author of THE Real
| Japan, has lately been giving his views
Of the situation TO an English interviewer.
| He is a recognized authority on things
Japanese and he is firmly persuaded that
in war between China and Japan the
| latter will have the best Of it. Mr. Norman
has a very high opinion of the Japanese
| army. Up 10 the time of the Franco-Cer-
man war the instructors of this army were
| Frenchmen. The result of the war was
| sufficient in japanese opinion. to make a
change desirable. and the French instruct
| ors We're changed for English. German and
| Italian. Few of these remain. as the Japan
csc now think they know enough about the
art OF war 10 prosecute il without foreign
| assistance In a fight between the japanese
and the Chinese the former, in Mr. Nor
mans opinion, will surely win. as the
japanese army is equipped according to the
most modern ideas, and is of considerable
size. while the number of troops that China
can put into the field. he says. is known to
none outside of the "Flowery Kingdom
and 10 few within the realm.
| Their equipment, too, is q good deal OF
a mystery. The japanese, Mr.. Norman
says. are not only Well drilled and vel
armed, but they are brave and they are
painting for a fight, with China pre-
ferred as they hate the Chinese with
whOle-souled rancor. Regarding the suZer.
ainty of China over Corea. il amounts, Mr.
Norman thinks, 10 very little. The son OF
Heaven" as the Emperor Of China is styled
at home, considers himself the suzerain OF