The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-06-04
CHINA'S NEW IMPERIAL ARMY.
AWAKENING OF THE EMPIRE OF
THE EAST TO ITS NECESSITIES.

Attention That the Government at
Pclkfn Has Given to Modern Equip
ment-HOw the Army Was Organ
ized-RemarISabI Work of the
Rising ChiRaman, Gen. Yuan Shih.
How the Forces Are Armed-FOr-
ciEn Officers Few-Beginning of the
Red Cross in China-DiscipIine Sc
vere-Dcath Penalty for Opium
smoIsing-DetaiIs of the Great Re
View-Sham BattIe-An Apprecia-
tion of the Chinnmnn as Soldier.
What Lord BeresfOrd said About
the Army
Tlenstein. China. Apnl 2O.-Prlnce Min
lister Jung Lu has recently reviewed the
Chinese imperial army at Hsiao Chan-a
fact of the most profound significance in
the affairs of China. 1t marks the awaken
ing OF The empire to the need of great
modern army with which TO repel the
crowding Of the nations of Europe. The re-
that the government at Pekin has given
this new army.
Could the people of the great fore.g n ma
tons have seen the splendid showing of
these Chinese troops on this grand review
il must have transformed their general
idea that the Chinese are unable to do or
derry and thoroughly the things that be-
long to modern civilization. Could they
have viewed for a single hour $500 men
moving 80 exactly in unison to the calls
of the trumpet or to the rapidly given or
ders of a single voice, and that the voice
Of a Chinese, that their every step on the
hard, smooth clay was like single mighty
drum beat and every nose of arms like
single mighty crash, it alone would have
been object lesson enough to have given
the world a new idea of the possibilities
of the Chinese race.
Where the Army Was Born.
This army, officially named the new
imperial army" has its camp at Hsiao
Chan, about 20 miles east Of Tientsin, mid
way between it and the sea and a few
miles south Of the Pei Ho. This point has
been for many years military post, and
miles about are the ruins Of the mud walls
of barracks Of hong ago, looking like so
many prehistoric ruins.
The plain from the sea TO Tientsn is
almost a perfect level and the grandpa
rade ground a Hslao Chan, about mile
long and a half mile wide, is most of the
year as smooth and hard as a table.
Three years ago, in December 1895, about
a year after the war with Japan a few
thousand raw recruits quartered at Fsiao
Chan were put under command of Yuan
Shih Kai. commonly called Gen. Yuan,
whose rank is, however, civil and not mil
itary. Previous 10 the war with Japan
Yuan was for nine years minister to Korea
having been promoted 10 that position on
account of exceptional bravery and ability
shown in 1884, when at The head of a COM
pany of Chinese soldiers he entered the
Korean capital, drove out the japanese,
and saved the Korean kings life. AT that
time he had been for three years a civil
officer connected with a Chinese military
guard stationed al the Korean capital. At
present he holds the same high rank that
must be he'd by the Viceroy of a province
and he was in fact acting viceroy of this
province OF Chill for ten days at the time
of the late change of government at Pc
king. To this man is directly due the high
character of this army and the fine show
ing that it is able to make. Among all her
officials China has no better man.
The Best Man in China.
Timothy Richard, one of the best
known men in China, said to the writer
a few months ago; YUAN is the best
man in China; he is a man who is bound
to rise" Lord Charles Beresford, one of
Eugland's military authorities, who has
lately made an extended tour of observa-
ton in China, and before whom there was
given just such review and sham battle
as has since been seen by Jung Lu, said in
private conversations:
Il have met one man in China, and
that man is Yuan"
Two things mark this man-great ex-
ecutlve ability and strict integrity. The
former is probably as common in China
as elsewhere. but nothing has been more
rare i'm high places than the latter All
the world knows that from the viceroy
of a province down to The cook in your
kitchen, every man is expected to make
his squeeze" The custom is so recog-
nzed as to be almost lifted out of It's
legally dishonoTable place aud to be a
part of the unwritten law of the coun-
try. Military commanders who receive
from the central government appropria-
tons according TO the number of SOL
diers supposed TO be in their commands
and the amount supposed to be paid
them have had exceptional opportuni-
ties for squeeze" and the past general
condition Of the forces of China would
indicate that this has too often been their
chief care But Ypan stands out noble
exception, MT representative OF the fast
coming new China, and of that company
who are not a few. of like character who
are beginning to rise throughout the en-
pire. For an of the great opportunities
of his position combined with a larger
salary, Yuan is yet a poor man, and il Is
because the money appropriated for the
uses of this army has all been used, and
wisely used, upon it, that there is here an
army of 5000 men, well equipped with
modern guns, wen housed, well fed and al
ways promptly and fully paid: and more
than this. except 1000 late recruits. so well
drilled as to have drawn forth the high
est 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 1t had
made on review
How the Army Is Armed.
The army consists of 1900 infantry
armed with one OF the best modern rifles:
500 cavalry. armed with light rifles, re-
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