Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-06-03

of the country. Military commanders who
| receive from the central government ap-
| preparations according to the number Of
soldiers supposed to be in their commands
| and the amount supposed to be paid them
have had exceptional opportunities for
| squeeze, and the past general condition
OF the forces of China would indicate that
| inns mas too often been their chief care.
| But Yuan stands out A noble execution a
| Mt representative of the fast coming new
emma, and of that company who are not a
| lew, OF like character who beginning
| 10 rise throug bout the empire For all of
| the great opportunities of his position COM
| bined with large salary, Yuan is yet a
poor man, and il is because the money APP
propriated for the of this army has
all been used, and wisely used. upon il, tina [
| there is here an army of 5000 men, well
equipped with modern guns. well housed.
| well fed and always promptly and fully
| paid; and more than this, except 1900 late
| recruits, wei drilled as to have
drawn forth the highest praise from Lord
| Charles Beresford, who, both in private
| conversation with his own countrymen and
| in a personal letter to Yuan. spoke with
| unstnted admiration OF the army and of
| the fine showing Ii had made on review.
How the Army Is Armed.
The army consists of 1000 infantry. arm
ed with one of the best modern rifles; 800
cavalry. armed with light rifles. revolvers
and swords; 1000 artillery, serving forty
1 field guns, twelve mountain guns and eight
| cen rapid-fire guns. and 500 men connected
/ with the engineering department.. OF the
! infantry, 1850 were recruited late in 1SgS
! 1t is understood that. after being thorough
! ly drilled they are 10 be sent to Picking as
royal guard.
There are also 5000 camp followers. every
ten soldiers being allowed cook and two
other servants, officers having still larger
number.
1t is not the least surprising thing about
this army that so few and unimportant po-
sitfons are held in it by foreigners. There
are connected with il a Portuguese band
master. a Belgian tactician, a German pom
tOon bridge builder, a German artillery in
structor for certain German guns, a Nor
weSian cavalry drill master. and a Chinese
speaking German, whose duties are some
what general. The infantry ana most of
the artillery drill is entirely under Chinese
oflcers, trained either abroad or in Chinese
military schools of which there is at pres
ent but one in north China, this being at
Tientsin. Yuan has. however, at Hsiao
Chan, large class of young men under in
struction, showing good foresight. FOR the
school at Tientsin cannot possibly supply
the demand that must soon be made upon
it.
Red Cross in China.
Something entirely new in China is that
the Red Cross floats over a fully equipped
hospital. where from fifty to 100 or more
patients are treated daily. The hospital is
in charge of four native physicians who
would be a, credit to any army or country
The senior, who was trained under the late
DR.. Mackenzie of the London mission in
Tientsin, is rare man. wise, gentle and
genial and Of purest character. The three
Juniors are graduates of the imperial med
zeal college at Tientsin. and it is interest
ing to note that they are all young men of
decided Christian belief. All four speak
English fiuently
One of the revelations of the possibilities
of the Chinese race that this camp affords
is the band OF musicians, OF whom II is not
too much to say that except by bands COM
posed of professional musicians their play
ing could scarcely be eXceiled.
Nothing IS more noticeable than the uni
form good behavior of these soldiers. A
more quiet, orderly, respectful lot of men
could not be found anywhere. Although
they have many holidays, when they ram
bic about the town and camp at will there
it almost never a brawl or trouble of any
kind, though usually the Chinese soldier
is an out-and-out rowdy and ruffian.
Possibly In the way of discipline foreign
nations may be able to learn something
from Yuan who in this matter has abso-
lutte authority. First, and. of course, OF
greatest Importance, there is absolute pho
hibition Of liquor drinking, gambling ana
opium smoking. For the first two named
offenses the punishment is severe whip
ping; for the last, the death penalty by
decapitation. These three regulations alone
make most other rules Of discipline need
less.
Details of the Review.
The all-day review of the army by Jung
Lu was marked by the fine appearance of
the soldiers, rapidity and precision Of move
ment on drill and lack Of all confusion dur
ing either the drill or the sham battle. The
observer forgot entirely that he was view
ing Chinese army in his constant admira-
ton of the fine training shown.
The day of the review bright and
still, the army was in position early and at
$50 the review began by the passing of in
fantry, artillery and cavalry before the re-
viewing stand. the 5000 infantry reforming
in ten battaliOns about 40 yards to the
front and the artillery and cavalry taking
up positions some distance in the rear. Just
a few yards to the right of the stand rode
out a single native horseman who with
uplifted sword and clear. ringing voice be-
gan giving orders, calling for all manner of
evoiuuons. to which, though often given
as rapidly as from five to eight a minute |
this great body of men responded for TWEEN
ty minutes man. Following this
came another similar twenty-minute drill |
at the sound of the bugle, and last most |
beautiful and unique, led by the voice of |
another horsernan, came a fifteen-minute |
gymnastic exercise, rifles being used as |
wands. With their bayonets flashing and |
their bodies swaying in perfect unison and |
their feet striking the ground with the /
souno as OF single mighty football, there |
was In this hour presented at least proof /
OF the capacity of the Chinese soldier for 1
the finest of drill
Artillery and cavalry both gave evidence |
neaXY
artillery especially made a fine appearance
thirty guns, six horses TO a gun |
ana SIX guns abreast, dashing across the
parade ground on the dead run. wheeling |
planting batteries at one point and then at |
another, they kept almost as perfect form
as when at attention, and to locate a hat
terry and be ready to open fire was but the /
work of moments.
Sham Battle.
The sham battle in the afternoon over n
broken field three miles in extent where I
half the force made an attack on the posi-
ton held by Yuan with the other half he
being in entire ignorance of the enemy's 1
plans, was full of dash and heavy firing,
and at the close of the same wild cheering
that has so often been heard on the real |
when the victors, sweeping over
every barrier. have poured into the enemys
orks. Certainly the Chinese soldier is |
fully capable of all that goes to make up a |
soldier of of the real battlefield What
skill commanders would show in meeting
an enemy has yet to be proven, but as to !
the conduct Of Chinese troops under fire