The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1900-09-03
PRICE FIVE CENYa

Among the puzzling reports as to the
whereabouts of the Empress Dowager
is one from st. Petersburg, that she is
in the vicinity of Peking, but surround
ed. The Emperor seems to have dis
appeared completely. 1t is officially re-
ported that the Minister of the Neither
lands, DR.. knobel, was slightly wound
ed during the siege
JAPAN'S ARMED STRENGTH
VICTORIA. B. c., Aug. '24.-Count ua,s
.e'h hoenlgsmarch is the well known
,oI Aier German military attache in To-
MO lie returned to Europe after Wit
| messing the Jap's manoeuyres on land and
"a ne loHoWng letter was written by
| the Count before his departure fro,, r.
kio: from TO-
| Nothlng can exceep Japan's war,iLa
preparedness as far as the army and
| navy themselves are concerned i saw
them at manoeuvres and do not hesitate
TO say that they are ready to the last
llegginS button.
This preparedness, from the civilized
warriors standpoint is both external and
internal the equipments are there and
the spirit is. Indeed, imitation of Euro
lpean courtly and military Institutions has
been carried to such an extent as to
lohllterate the source. What were origin
lally French, German and Russian service
reforms have entered into flesh and blood
and mind of the Japanese people so
thoroughly as to become part and parcel
lof their everyday existence and en-
deavors
The army manoeuyres took place on the
Island of Kyushu and headquarters were
established at Hokata, with Prince Ko-
lnatsu in command, the latter being chief
OF the chapter of field marshals or su-
lpreme war council
Like the regular European war lord he
a rix rod Ixrc ia1
else, including the foreign military at
taches AS his saloon car rolled into the
station the national hymn was played,
. just as God Save the Queen is on like
occasions in London. but there the simi-
larity stopped The Japs consider vocif-
erous salutation undignifed. They mere
ly barred their heads and bowed low as the
great man stepped out and walked to his
carriage.
The Emperor's court marshal had taken
charge of US foreigners and none of his
l European colleagues ever executed such
: d task more gracefully and more liberal
ly. There was a lot of US Even Chill
had mobiliZed consul and metamor-
4 lphosed him into warrior with the aid
of many-colored uniform and a mighty
sword, while China and Korea made up
= in quantity for any lack of quality that
might develop, and sure enough did de-
ivelop. All told, these empires sent 4s al
: legged officers.
We We're lodged and dined like princes,
=, the cavalry riding school in Toxic fur
y nishing our horses, and indeed. nothing
T was too good for us Field Marshal va
: magata and other dignitaries never tired
e lenquiring after our wishes in the name
!. of his imperial master, who he said re-
g garded us as his personal guests
. There are funny episodes in all nlanoeu-
. vres. At this the foreign contingent fur
u nished food for laughter. Even during
the first gallop the majority of Chinese
l. and Korean pseudo officers became separ-
l. ated from their steeds and spoiled their
a beautiful clothes by wipng up the road
:. way with them. The Chill uniform
though wavering like dummy at a
street corner in gale, somehow stuck to
the saddle for quite little while. Final
, ily, however. the good consul came down
lie with the proverbial duh thud that caused
s. his nose to bleed and twisted his sable
ia straps around his legs.
- The law of March. 1896 ordering the
- gradual development of the Japanese
army, named the year 1868 the time
u when the desired reforms etc. were to
[e be completed. but from what hear and
In saw the Toxic war office had not to wait
ID for the expiration of the term. / under
L stand that the complete complement OF
-, troops provided Ivy the law referred &c
could be put i'm the field now, namely 5.
- infantry regiments. each having threC
3 lbattalions. II regiments of horse at five
i" ttSCdtiTOHS tdCil, as inauN regiments OF AT
en tilIery, with III batteries and six regi
C. ments of siege artillery: Furthermore
n Technical troops, train commissarat's de
. ,partment etc.
Service is compulsory, and the Japs ar,
~ the only people not discontented on tina
OF account Their ambition, that stops a
nothing, makes each raw recruit thinl
that he carries the marshal's staff in hi
lkrapsack. Able-bodied men are SUBJECTS
%. to enlistment at the completion of tn
.lv seventeenth year. and remain under mill
tary control until they are 80. They serv
Va three years under the flag, four year
rs in the reserves and live years in til
ed I.andwehr. Soldiers who distinguis
lat themselves for intelligence and diIigenc
m may be placed on the reserve Est befor
,a,. the expiration of their term.
If | were to give a detailed account q
the manocuvrng. it would read like tn
-He report of some sham battle or drill on
M large scale held in Berlin. Munich or o
Is the plains of Alsace Lorraine. The jar
ese anese order Of march, advance and r,
dy. tt.at. their shooting regulations cavalr
Ihe ana gun practice are Identical With Il
,be, German. SO the technical movt
-. me nts, reconnoiterings. etc.
The progra mme provided Il brlliai
'"' military spectacle, such as ] had see
at time and again, albeit that the strani
w uniforms. standards hands. etc. lent
ent = peculiar interest Of its own, but asiC
,nd from that. / was most agreeaby strue
IN by the evidence of superior discipliI
- noticeable on all sides. The common J.
''o soldier cannot be too highly praised f
following orders strictly, zea!ously
my IiEtelligently at the same tim". d.
hat krow from my own observation how
Ing behaves in the barracks-in the fisl Id ne
tu- certainly at home, making the best po
= 3, sible use OF the excellent instruction
-. received. He Is n hardy chap too. for
eats well and things that do him good
NC rice. fish. vegetables, chickens and egs
lid II We could feed our E,uropean armi
de- on these luxuries. that are at the d
posal of the beggars in this country the
and wouldn't be so much complaint about {
,.as stupidity of recruits, / think
At the conclusion of the manoeuvI
-dct the prince and his staff of generals ga
Neu q Lucullian banquet in our honor a
ier1 We were asked for a critical estimate
heir what We had seen. Then and there I n
ions occasion to observe the Jap's true es
mate of the powers To the remarks
a,-a the Rritish and French representati,