The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1899-07-12
ABOUT CHINA.


authority from his Government, was
able to make direct Investigations into
the condition of the Chinese army and
navy, as the Chinese officials gave
him every facility for doing it. These
higher officials at last understand that
they are confronted with a crisis, and
that they can trust in Great Britain
alone for aid, if they need it. Lord
Beresford found that generally most
fraudulent practices prevailed in mill
tary affairs. A general who received
money for the payment of 10000 men,
enlisted only 5000, and put in his peck
ct the amount saved. In several places
German officers had been discharged
and Russians put in their places. In
one camp he saw the men shooting at
a target with bows and arrows. The
hitting of the target was of minor i'm
portance. The attitude of the bowman
was OF the highest consequence. Lord
Beresford only repeats the evidence of
others regarding the want of disci-
pline throughout the Chinese forces.
AS these forces are Independent bod
les, there is no system of unificatiOn,
and each Viceroy follows his own
ideas. During a disturbance at Wee
chow, the soldiers carried rifles, blum
derbusses, and long brass horns and
gOngs. Many soldiers We're not armed,
and carried only bird cage and fan
Lord Beresford states positively that
'the Chinese have all the Characters
tics necessary to make good soldiers"
He mentions the bravery of the cool
les who assisted the British in taking
the Taku forts in 1860.
Regarding the. Chinese navy, Lord
Beresford recommends the Chinese to
abandon their plan of increasing it.
He advised them to sell the vessels
now being built, and devote the YES
sells that remain to the suppression of
piracy, and the protection of home
commerce. He believes that the inter-
ests of the empire demand military
rather than naval protection. All of
the dOckyards, excepting that at Foo
chow, have been seized by foreign
powers, and he does not recommend
any further expenditure of money in
extending such works.
The Russians have 10000 soldiers
in Eastern Siberia and Manchuria
and are building three docks of the
largest size at Vladivostock
The arsenal at Shanghai is so we'll
equipped it can, with little more ex-
penditure, supply the whole of the ma
val and military forces of the Empire.
In many of the other arsenals there is
a large waste of material. The MAX
ing of gingals, a gun barrel over nine
feet long, which is carried on the
shoulders of two men and fired by
third man, who tries to aim it. AS a
shot from it will pierce a thick board,
the Chinese believe that it is a most
effective weapon, and continue to
make it, although it is a useless arti-
Gle. The Chinese cannot be accused
waste of material is a painful evidence
of their lack of military intelligence.
At the same time, Lord Beresford
states that many prominent Chinese
to have their own way, would make
radical changes. So long as the CEN
trail government is weak and vacillat-
ing, they will not invite censure by
making innovations.
Although the Chinese people have
steadily prevented the building of any
railway system in the past. because
their superstitious ideas forbid it, the
hammering of the foreigners, and the
rafting of gunshots, has suppressed
these superstitions outwardly, and the
new idea slowly gains ground, any
thing to beat the foreign devils" So
railways are tolerated in order to beat
them, aside from those forced on them
by foreign guns. While there are 81
miles of railway in operation, there
will soon be 2270 miles in operation,
with $500 more projected. The effect
on the internal trade of the Empire
cduSeu by THESE ways Will ne 1dI
reaching, if it finally arouses the Chi
nese mind.
While the Chinese show large power
of organization in individual affairs,
there is none shown, SO far, in nation
al affairs. But it is the experience of
all people that sooner or later an in
dividual capacity for organization will
show itself in national affairs.
1t would not be strange if, within
fifty years, the Chinese themselves,
becoming masters in the industrial
arts, should be the foremost to urge
the Open Door policy, and seek an
outlet for their products in every di-
rection.
Lord Beresford does not speculate
9hnnt the cOurSo Of in China