Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-11-25
THE MIkADO'S ARMY.
Its Remarkable Discipline Surprised
Foreign Military Men.

Its Remarkable Discipline Surprised
Foreign Military Men.
The first official report on the character.
conduct and equipment of the Japanese
army, shown In the recent war in the
orient, has been made public by the Navy
Department. The report Is that of Capt.
G. F. Elliott of the marine corps, who COM
manded the American force at Seoul,
Corea at the outbreak of hostilities, and
who later had under his command the
guard that was held in readiness for SER
vice at the United States legation at
Picking. Capt. Ellott's report says In part:
THE quiet, solderly discipline of the Jap
anese troops astonished all foreign officers
who had the opportunity Of observing them
while DISSEMINATING, on the march, occupy
ing camps near, or while billeted in cities
not their own. In 1870, in obedience to an
edict of the mikado. the daimios mustered
their samuri and each and all of the loo,
900 hereditary soldiers of Japan laid by
their swords in day and the privileged
class became Of the people. The feudal
system, which had defended the country,
closed it to foreigners made invasions and
filled Nippon for hundreds of years with
chivalry and oppression, ended. The coun-
try was defenseless, having neither army
nor navy, but the progressive party imme-
diately took steps to create both, modelled
after those existing among enlightened ma
tons. Army officers of good standing from
America. France and Germany We're
ployed to instruct organize and drill the
new defense, but no system was adopted
until, from observation. the German was
preferred. and the japanese army is now
modelled, with slight and suitable changes,
after that country.
Casual observers, though military men.
are apt to credit the iron discipline adopted
from the Germans with creating in less
than twenty years an army thoroughly
equipped, proficient in drill and possessing
Ia hat inli tx-G,i Job,
gives unqueStioning obedience and patient
endurance but these latter qualities al
ready existed in the sons of the samur,
and soldiers not belonging TO this class
were leavened by them; besides, for the
first time in the history of their country
they were allowed the privilege of fighting
for her. These two conditions had more to
do with their high standard as soldiers, in
my opinion. than the system adopted.
Japanese infantry regiments homo
geneous physically; the men do not vary
more than two inches in height, seven
years in age, or more than twenty pounds
In weight. In the field they are not bur-
dened with overfieshy men, neither with the
faithful old soldier whose pride has out
lived his strength. Forced marches did not
leave fourth of the regiment struggling
in the road. and the endurance of the men
could be counted on nearly as unit. I'm
doubtedly, they are brave but have not
been tried in large bodies up to a democrat
iztng loss. although small parties on one or
two occasions were cut off and fell together
like true soldiers. Whether they will take
panic under heavy reverseS is not known
They are fairly well set up. but do not
show 1t as much as the regular foreign
soldier: good weight carriers, but / believe
slow marchelS, although for short dis
tances they get over ground very rapidly
on a trot. having what is known as good
wind. Drill has in great degree elm
mated the native popularity of being pig
eon-toed In marching they step too much
from the knees. and do not move out from
the hips: this. think. is due from the use
of the kimona in early life"