Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-07-23
r u M 0 r S 0 F w A r
China's Asserted Rights in Corea Opposed
by Japan.
The War Footing of the Two Nations
and Their Comparative Strength
Attitude of the People.


A dispatch from Shanghai states China
Is preparing for war, and Is blocking the
northern passage of the Yang-Tse-K iang.
the great river Of China. Incoming vessels
are thus compelled to pass nearer Woosung
forts. Japan has chartered all the Mitsui
Bussan Companys ships in addition to the
sixteen already chartered from the Wusen
kaisha Company. Japan has prohibited the
departure Of the Yusen steamers.
China continues to make preparations to
assert her claimed rights in Corea, and
from the present indications 1t is judged
that war Is inevitable unless Japan recedes
from the position she has hitherto main
tained. Orders were recently issued for
1000 Chinese troops to prepare for a de-
parture to Corea. The preparations were
| hurriedly completed and on Friday last the
soldiers went On board the transports that
will convey them to the peninsula. To
guard against contingencies, the transports
were conveyed by eight gunboats, the COM
manders of which were instructed to fire
| upon the japanese should the latter attempt
to obstruct the landing Of the Chinese.
Wariike preparations are also being made
| in other directions. strong body Of troops
| will shortly leave Foochow for the Loo Choo
| Islands. 1t Is the governments intention to
| employ the Nankin and Canton fleets In
hara ssing the japanese coast II actual hos
| tiiities are commenced. Orders have been
sent to every Chinese province calling upon
| each of them to furnish ~, 900 troops to aid
| In support OF the government
British and United States marines have
| been landed at Seoul. the capital of Corea,
| in order TO protect the British and United
states legations. respectively. China has
requested that Japanese warships be not
allowed n
| Japan, replying to the request Of China In
regard to Japanese warships, maintains
| the right to enter these ports at any time
The attitude Of the population generally Is
warlize.
The Chinese Forces.
In view OF the fac. that war between
China and Japan. growing out Of the Cor
rean dispute. appears to be imminent It
may not be uninteresting TO give a sum-
| mary OF the forces Of the respective pow
ers. According to Chinese official statistics
the army is composed as follows:
The Eight Banners number 3o3 500 men,
and comprise Manchus, Mongols, and Chi
nese. OF these 100000 are supposed to be
reviewed by the emperor a Pekln once a
year. There Is also the Wing Ping or ma
Uonal army, having 6i59 officers and CO.
00J privates.
Capt. Norman in his book 'Tonquin' d.
vides the army follows: First, the &C
tive army, comprising the army of Man
churia; the army of the Center, and the
army OF Turkestan. and second. the terri
torial army. Capt. Norman gives the num-
Der OF the army of Manchuria as Io.oU
men, divided into two army corps. Many
of these troops are armed with the MauSer
rifle and possess liberal supply of krupp
eightcentimeter field cannon. The army
OF the Center is numbered at 5p,Vp men In
time of peace. This number, however, can
be doubled in of war. The men are
OF q hardy race and armed with Remington
rifles The army of Turhes;an is employed
in keeping order In the extreme western ter
ritory, and could not in all probability be
moved eastward In the event of war The
territorial army is kind OF local militia
capable of being raised to a strength OF
probably JoJ,nO men. The numbers are
kept down in time of peace to 100000. The
Tartar cavalry OF the north are mounted
on understood but sturdy ponies. Their
equipment Is wretche1.
China's Warships.
Within the last fifteen years China has
acquired n considerable fleet of vessels.
and many OF her ships are Of a powerful
character. The larger vessels have been
built in European yards. several of them
in England. but the imperial arsenal at
Foochow has produced torpedo cruisers.
gunboats and dispatch vessels. The fleet
Is divided into the north coast squadron.
the Foochow squadron. the Shanghai fotiila
ana the canton HOlllla. Inc nOTtn coast
squadron consists of four barbette sea-
going armorcladS, two OF I.2SO tons each,
and two Of .. $50 tons each; one turret ship
of 1920 tons; three deck-protected cruisers
| of $500 and $500 tons; four torpedo cruis
| ers. torpedo flotilla. and eleven Gunboats
! of from 32J to 40 tons.
The Ftochow squadron consists of ten
| cruisers of from / 400 to o $50 TONS three
! gunbCats, nine dispatch boats and three
revenue cruisers. The Shanghai fotilla
consists of an arrnored frigate of 2.G30 tons,
gunboat, six floating batteries of wood
and three transports. The Canton fotiila
consists of three deck protected cruisers
and thirteen gunboats. Adopting the sys-
TEN of classification used in the States
mems Year Book the naval strength of
China may be expressed thus: Battle ships.
one first-class, one Second-class and three
third-class; nine port defense vessels; cruis-
ers. nine second-class, twelve third-class
A and thirty five b; torpedo boats, two
| frst-class, twenty-six second-class. thir-
| teen third-class and two smaller boats.
The Army of japan.
The army of Japan is organized on
! uniform system on the basis of conscrip-
ton. All males of the age of twenty years
are liable to service In the standing army
for seven years, of which three years must
be spent in active service. and the remain
ing four years in the army of reserve.
After quitting the army of reserve they
have to form part OF the Landwehr for
another five years; and every male from
seventeen up to forty years of age. who is
not either In lire, the reserve or the Land
wchr, must belong to the Landsturm, and
is liable to be called to service in times
of national emergency. The army is conf
posed Of the imperial guard and six di-
visions. In 1872 1t was as follows:
The imperial guard 1.-TWO brisades of four
regiments of infantry, one squadron of
cavalry, one regiment of artillery and one
company CT engneers), consisting of 6.2D1
officers and men, with forty field guns and
5JS horses. The six divisions consist of
twelve brigades or twenty-four regiments
of infantry-;}T,925 officers and men, cav
airy, six sluadrons, composed of 1.302 Off
GERS and men. 1.1i5 horses; artillery eight
regiments consisting of 5,42S officers and
men. 240 field, 100 mountain guns and $50
horses; engineers, six battalions, 2,l7i Off
| GERS and men: train, six squadrons of =, les
| officers and men and l TAG horses. Includ-
| ing miscellaneous service the total strength
on the peace footing is 1859 officers, g., 4n
| commissioned officers and men, 31l
! field guns. 1856 mountain guns and S,70l
horses
| There are besides six battalions Of gem
! BARNES, comprising 1856 officers and men
| and eighty eight horses. and four battalions
| Of yeomanry, with $50 officers and men