The morning call., 1894-08-08
PRACTICAL EFFECTS OF THE WAR

PRACTICAL EFFECTS OF The WAX
The war between China and Japan has
hardly as yet been felt in our markets.
The Gaelic, which sailed yesterday. took
out an equivalent OF $1,000 barrels OF flour,
1000 barrels of beef and pork and $500 cases
Of meats, chiefly corned beef-a heavier
cargo than usual. Most of this stuff was
consigned to Hong-Kong, but in case IL is
needed it could be unloaded at Yokohama.
European or American soldiers would re-
quire large supplies of corned beef. Ash
atics consume chiefly rice, but perhaps II
military movements are active the gen.
erals might find it to their advantage to
issue beef rations. San Francisco is COM
petIDg at a disadvantage with Chicago,
which is shipping beef and provisions to
the belligerents, having. 1t is said, got
better through rate than our Gamers can
obtain. Corned beef is being carried from
the Armour works at Chicago to Yoke
hama for less money than it can be trans
ported to the same point from San Fran
cisco. 1t is announced that twenty car
loads are on the way.
Korea is we'll supplied with rice. Last
Novem Der the rice crop was so gravely In
jured by storms that the Government.
fearing famine, interdicted he export OF
rice. But it appears that the accounts OF
injury were exaggerated. COpious sup
plies of rice came in from the country. and
the price, which had been rising, fell at
New Year to $40 cents per pound for the
best hulled rice, as against cents for
China rice and cents for Carolina rice In
this market. 1t is evident that the Koreans
will not need to be fed from this side OF
the ocean Nor will either they or the Jap
anese stand in need of coal. their home
supplies are fully equal to any probable
demand. China will probably get the coal
she needs from Australia.
The merchandise which the belligerents
will chiefly need from abroad will be arms,
munitions of war and ammunition. Both
China and japan have plants for the
manufacture of cannon and small arms.
and the former country can produce un-
limited quantities of ordinary gunpowder.
But both nations must be insufficiently
supplied with modern rifles of small cali
Der, with guns of the Calling and Nordenfelt
type, and with the new smokeless powder.
Whether the United States can supply
this class of merchandise in competition
with England and Germany remains to be
seen. In former wars Connecticut has sup
piled beligerents with arms. 1t may do
so now, and. if so, the goods will natur-
ally be shipped from San Francisco, unless
the Canadian Pacific should make rate
which would attract them to Vancouver.
II our manufacturers of explosives can
make smokeleSs powder, the demand for
that article will test their productive Ca
pacity.
1t is evident that if the war goes on
there will arise lively demand for CON-
petent officers trained in the methods of
modern warfare. 1t is alleged probably
on good grounds, that the inefficiency of
the Chinese navy is due 10 the discharge of
the English and German officers who Gre
ated it, and the appointment of Cinnamon
Ia their place. Cinnamon make excellent
sailors before the mast. but they have
never produced a captain. much less an
admiral, and, in naval battles, skill and
daring are everything. The same rule
prevails. though in a less degree, on land.
In Tonquin the Chinese levies fought
valiantly, and went to their deaths with
smiling faces. But they were so miser-
ably led that their nun bers did not avail
against smaller bodies of welLhandled
Frenchmen. There are said to be some
good soldiers among the japanese, but we
have only their word for the fact In the
civil war of thirty years ago no general
was developed who seemed to be master
of the art of war.
There is thus an opening for West Point
ers who have failed to find field of use
fulnsss at home. and for young men with
military aspirations in civil employments
Both Chinese and japanese are averse to
placing foreigners in command; but when
real war breaks out they overcome their
race prejudice, and want leaders who can
win, whatever their nationality. Ii Ii
Hung Chang had been able to overcome
ancient prejudices at Peking he would
have differed his army with foreigners
exclusively; as it is several of his regI-
ments are commanded by Christians.
There can hardly be doubt that if the
war goes on adventurous young Amerl-
cans with military talents would find
ready engagements among both the bel
ligerents.