Evening star., 1900-07-16
Sending for Modern Arms on Limited
Resources.
HAS ONLY Two SETS OF ARSENALS
CeIestials Not Likely to Be For
midable Foes.
VIEWS OF THE INFORMED

The absorbing topic in military circles to-
day was the power of China to carry on
protracted war. Quite a number have an
idea that the celestial empire has great re-
sources and that she will prove to be
most formidable enemy when fighting be-
gins on a large scale.
This view of the situation has been
brought about because of lack of knowl-
edge Of conditions in China, rather than be-
cause of any positive Information. The
great empire is still an unknown quantity
even to those who are best informed on its
conditions and resources. 1t is understood
that the bureau of military Information of
the War Department is greatly lacking in
any definite idea of what the Chinese army
really consists of.
Indeed its very form of organization is
but poorly understood. Generalties
known and but little else. There is not
that thorough understanding of the ques-
ton that would allow to judge some
thing of the military capability of the
Chinese people. The military bureau is
now engaged in the preparation of map
of China for military purposes. but it is
not likely that this map can be completed
within a month.
Weakness of China.
Men who know China well and who have
lived in that country are not inclined to
give credence to the wild speculations over
the military possibilities of China in a
war TO be carried on in the near future.
They declare that, while China would be
enormously powerful with unlimited
store of arms and ammunition and with
such discipline as her troops might secure
by vigorous az ton during a term of five
or ten years, yet that country is now help
less because of a lack of discipline and
the possession of very limited amount of
arms. They believe that the Chinese be
ing something of a mystery themselves.
are able to impress the sensational mind
with an indescribable power. yet they have
no confidence in the naturalization of any
such power in the near future.
There has been good deal of eXaggera ton
in regard to China's ability to manufac-
ture her own arms. The fact is that far
as Is known to well-informed men here
there were but two sets of arsenals in
China for the manufacture of arms before
the present warlike movement broke out.
These arsenais were located near Tien T5in
and near Canton. The Tien Tsin arscnals
have been destroyed and now. only those
shops at Canton are in operation.
Machinery Was Imported.
The fact is pointed out that China has
manufactured arms of modern type only
by the use of machinery imported into that
country and that when her plants are de-
stroyed she will be helpless to continue the
making of modern arms. If she is able to
copy the machinery that has been set up
in these factories and to duplicate it else
where she will surprise those who are best
informed in regard to her resources:
The people who take this view of CHINA
and her power to carry on war backed
alone by her own resources 90 not at all
underestimate the poss,p,ntS oi lnat Pc
PIE "iel oi'ieiis ~. ,,.'' 49,, , - Pnt
~. N, iei'. ~ ~. -, a,,r;,,o ,ba Iast co,InIe
t.tS ASST .i,ht - IN -, @ ,,S 70 intro-
duce these modern methods, and they de-
olale @ NC - ~ ,t'f ~ ~ t whicb hos taken
cone paoii,isn. pi ~ IN an atii, ,n narfact
o'hei ii"'''''' " se-''' ~
Chinns Fest Army.