The Topeka state journal., 1900-07-28

When the troubles in China began,
| the armed forces of the powers avail
| able were composed of the sailors and
marines who could be landed from the
| ships. Some of. these ships We're near
| at hand while others were in different
i parts of the Orient, but within a few
J days sail. The total number of war
| ships of all classes in those waters is as
follows:
Great Britain ---..-.---....... ...-.. g
| United States ...... ...... 20
! Germany .......A ~ ...... 8
Japan ....-..... .... . 46
| Italy had one ship at Taku and Aus
| tria had some marines ashore, so her
navy must be represented; but these
| two nations are omitted in the foregi-
! ing list Germany had, besides the men
| on shipboard, about 5000 men at Kiao-
! Chow Russia had perhaps 10000 men
| at Port Arthur and a large number of
! troops in Eastern Siberia. She has also
a large force on the northern frontier
| of China, but it is at a great dis
tance overland from Pekin and can
not be considered available. Any
| reinforcementS would probably be sent
from Odessa. Japan has large number
of troops available. and can furnish at
short notice as many as may be needed
Late reports state that the powers have
all agreed to utilize JapanS military
strength, and give her their mandate to
bring order out of chaos. The powers.
however, not depending entirely upon
home. Great Britain has sent about l.
900 troops from Hong Kong. Between
1000 and 5000 men were to leave Cal
cutta June "a. Lord Roberts was asked
if he could spare any from South Africa,
but he answered in the negative.
a late telegram from India gives the
force to be sent to China from India as
1oilOWS: 223 British officers, 3OS Brit
ish warrant and on-commissioned Of
ficers and men, 9,540 native officers and
men; 7.170 followers; 1880 horses and
ponies; 1850 mules; six guns and II
Maxims- Two cOolie corps of I 900 each
will also proceed to China. There left
France for China, June %, three war
ships and two transports carrying two
battalionS of infantry and two batteries
of artillery There are said to be. also,
about 10000 French troops at Saigon
ready to embark. Germany had al
ready made preparations to strengthen
her force in China, but the news of the
assassination of her minister makes it
certain that she Will eventually have
in China as many Of her troops as she
deems necessary. The United States
have sent battalion of marines and a
regiment of infantry from the Philip
lines There are at present about 5000
troops en- route for or under orders to
the Philippines. AS they go via Nagas-
aiI, they can be sent from there 10
Taku instead of to Manila direct 1t is
reported that Italy and Austria Will
also send cOntingents.
Because of unavoidable delays, and
the approximate number of days re-
quired to reach Taku from the various
starting points, it is apparent that all
the troops under orders for China can
not arrive there until early in August.
There will be constant accessions, how
ever. from now on, and there will per-
haps be enough troops on the ground
to take the offensive much earlier.
There certainly will be if Japan's offer
is accepted. The question of the man
ner in which Japan is to be paid may
prove a stumbling block. There would
be no objection to a money payment
but there probably would be to ces-
sion of territory. The great necessity
for prompt action may, however, cause
all objections to be overruled.
In regard to the use of the navieS of
the powers, their effectiveness depends
upon two things-the use of their ships
and their capacity to furnish men for
duty ashore Active operations will
be entirely ON land. Gunboats of light |
draught will be useful in river work, |
not only on the Pei Ho, but near treaty |
ports in other parts of China where |
protection may be needed. The larger |
ships, particularly the battleships, will |
be useless except to furnish landing |
parties. The United States navy mas |
near the scene of action five gunboats |
whose draught will enable them to be |
OF service in navigable inland waters.
THE THEATER OF OPERAIlONS- |
1t is not certain within what limits ac- |
tive operations on shore will be confined |
China is not a homogeneous nation AS !
a rule. the people of one province know |
curing in a distant province Each is /
governed by a vicerOy or governor, who,
though appointed by the central govern
ment is almost entirely Independent of
it, and is practically a king within his
own dominlons. He raises and main
tains an army of the kind and of the
size he wishes and that he is able to pay
for. This is Illustrated by the dispatches
from China, which report the consuls at
the treaty ports as negotiating directly |
with the viceroys in regard to the safety |
of foreigners Ii Hung Chang at Canton
has disregarded orders he received to
proceed to Pekin and remains in his pro-
vince to maintain order there. Up TO the
present time the troubles have been con-
fined to the province of Chilli, in which
PeI1in and Tien Tsin are situated, and
the province of Shantung. The latter
embraces the peninsula of the same
name, on the coast of which are situated
the British port Wei-Hai-Wei, the Ger
port Chefoo. If the troubles continue to
be confined to these provinces. the thea
ter Of operations will be much restrict
ed Tien TSin will probably be the base
Of operations and Fekin the objective.
Any opposing armed forces lying be-
tween the two cities must be disposed Of
and Pekin taken With Pekin in the
hands of the powers. the rest of the work
will be a matter for diploma lists
1t is considered by well informed peo-
pie that force Of $4,000 10000 men
will be ample. The number required will |
vary with the composition of the force |
A compact. homogeneous body, Of one |
nationality, would be much mere eff |
eient than a composite force of the same
strength, made up of the contingents
furnished by the powers, no matter how