The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1899-05-15

aeainst rioters and half-civiliZed coolies
in the cities would be obtained
against the pirates on the waterways by
serviceable army. The author was
told by many merchants, especially IN
Northern China, that they were ready
and willing to invest much larger sums
of money in commercial enterprises III
the interior of China, to construct rail-
roads and to erect mills and factories
as soon as they could be sure that per-
sonal property and the rights of per-
sonal property would be respected.
Without specifically going into the
question of the increasing Russian in
fiuence in China, Lord B>resford shows
in the reports received by him from dlI-
ferent Viceroys, that although some
years ago Americans and Englishmen
We're respected more than any other for
eigners. to-day AngloSaxon influence
has weakened materially, and Russian
influence has become all important. For
instance the Viceroy of Marking init
mated that formerly in the province
under his control the name of Britain
was better respected than that of any
other, but that now the rtame Of Russia
was the most feared" When this Chi
nese officer heard that 1000 troops had
been put at Lord BereSford's disposal
for organization according to Europea n
methods. with a view to demonstrating
if possible that the organization of the
entire Chinse army was feasible, he said
that such a proceeding. if carried out,
would lead to the dismemberment of
China. as other countries would insist
upon acting similarly in various parts
of the empire. 1t appears that his ex-
| cellency took a different view from that
of other Viceroys on the question OF
| China asking Great Britain for assist
ance. He said that Russia would not
allow China to do anything of the sort
| There is a concise but clear statement
of the present condition of the Chinese
| army and navy, and the reader will
| gather a better idea of the inadequacy
and helplessness of the Chinese military
forces from this short chapter writer
| by a man accustomed to European
armies than from many other books or
the Chinese army. The pith of the mat
ter seems to be that, with the exception
of one division of the army, under the
| command of General Yuan Shi Kaf
consisting of about Z, 800 men, the en-
| tire Chinese army, consisting of some
thing like 100000 men, is practically
useless Not the least interesting por-
| tions of the book are two chapters, onf
on Japan of to-day from the commercial
point of view, and the other on somt
| observations made by Lord BereSforC
during his short months stay in the
United States The author seems sur
prised, and no doubt many American
readers of his book will be surprised
also, to hear that there is no country
which I have visited where electricity
as a motive power has been taken adj
vantage Of to the same extent as III
Japan, for the furtherance and devel-
opment of trade and commerce. Tele-
phones and telegraphs abound in every
street in nearly every town throughout
the empire, and a very large and in
creasing number of manufactures are
worked by electric power. I madS
many inquiries as to the original out
lay and working expenses, comparing
electricity with steam power, and, tax
ing all circumstances into consideration
the former is unquestionably tht
cheaper"
He speaks particularly of the large
number of factories and engines tina
are being operated by electricity, ant
of the general modern and energetic
Flavor which all commercial enterprise:
seem to have in Japan to-day, for ex
ample:
"On the 18th of January, at Kiota,
went over the great electric plant work
ed by water power, produced with a fal