Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1895-04-18
LESSON or THE WAR.
Japan Has Learned the Value of Cruisers
and Torpedo Boats.

Japan Has Learned the Value of Cruisers
and Torpedo Boats.
Washington, April 17.-Commander
Mya0ka. an attache of the Japanese
legation, referring to the military Op-
eraions Of the Japan-China war just
closed, said;
"Ithas afforded a wide field of obser-
walton on modern methods of warfare
as it has been the first great conflict
since the Franco-German war, when
the implements Of war were far less
advanced than they are now. At the
outset the japanese soldiers were arm
cd with an Old-style rifle, and the bat
tie OF Ping Yang was fought with sim
gle-Gre guns. Among the guns cap
turel from the Chinese it was found
that they had o few very superior re-
peating rifles. although the bulk of
their arms were primitive and useless.
Japan has since undertaken to rearm
all her soldiers with q repeating rife
of the latest type. Already about one
third of the troops have this new arm,
and the government arsenals are hard
at work turning out the guns for a
complete equipment The new gun is
after a French model and is extreme
ly simple. having but one screw to
unlock its entire mechanism. This
simplicity is regarded as very essen
tial. as it has been found that soldiers,
particularly recruits. cannot work a
complicated gun, and their effective
ness is much reduced thereby.
IN IDovrv- D.Ipopaa tho Tan9Unch
have used Krupp, Armstrong and
HOtchkiss guns, and have found that
they are the best available. There
are no Maxim rapid-fre guns in use,
but the army and navy are both sup
piled with an Italitn rapid-fire gun,
which has proved very effective. The
heavier guns are made in other coun-
tries. but the lighter field pieces are
made in Japan's gun facSJries. These
equipments have been in marked con-
trasL with the antiQuaintsd weapons
of most of the Chinese. The troops Of
Ii Hung Chang were well armed and
well drilled, but the others had bows,
arrows, spears, and old-time single
fire muskets.
"The war footing Of the Japanese
army is mp to 10000 men. The peace
footing is 10000, distributed in six
garris0ns.
Now that the war is over, it is not
likely that an immediate reduction
will be made back to the peace basis
for if the final terms of peace include
cessi0ns of territory, permanent or
temporary, there Will have to be
forces for these localities, besides
equipping the six home garrisOns.
The military headquarters have been
at Hiroshima during the war, as the
naval docks there gave ready access
to the fleet. but with the restoration of
peace the headquarters will so back
to Toxic
"The lessons in the naval branch
have been no less valuable than those
of the military. The particular value
Of the cruiser as compared with the
battleship has been thoroughly dem
onstrated. The deadly effects of the
| torpedo boats have also been shown.
/ I have watched the work of these craft
with special interest, as l was instruc-
tor at the torpedo school, and num-
| Der of my students have distinguished
| themselves on the torpedo boats. OF
/ the two Chinese battleships captured
at Wei-Hai-Wei, one is partially sunk,
her upper decks bling just visibl above
the water, and it is not yet certain
whether the Japanese wreckers viii be
able to save her The other one is
aGcat and can probably be restored
although one side is badly torn open
by torpedOes and other explosives.