Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1900-10-04
UNDER MANY COMMANDERS.
Each Chinese Naval Fleet Has Its
Own Head and Operators Alone.

Own Head and Operators Alone.
The recent addition of two cruisers,
built by Messrs. Armstrong OF New
castle, to the Chinese navy brings
the northern squadron up to quite a
little feet, as it now con-
sists Of five useful cruisers and four
destroyers, besides smaller craft.
In speaking of the northern squad
ron it must be borne in mind that
the Chinese, unlike other nations, be-
lieve-as regards their imperial de-
fenses-in a policy of decentraliza-
ton, so that each fleet must be taken
on its individual merits, as no two
fleets are in any way capable of act
ing together.
At the time of writing the Shang-
hal fleet consists of obsolete ships,
utterly useless for fighting purposes,
but the northern squadron has been
built up again by the purchase of
modern ships in Europe. This fleet
now consists of three cruisers, which
have been built in Germany, of 5000
tons each, carrying two G-iDch and
eight 4.7-inCh guns, and capable Of
steaming twenty knots; four Destroy
ers OF q modern type, also built in
Germany, and two large cruisers
which have been built at Newcastle
on-TyDe, and have only lately reached
Chinese waters. These two are sis
ter ships, and are the largest vessels
the Chinese have ever possessed.
Their armament consists of two s.
inch and ten 4.7-inch, all qUick-fring
guns, the 8-inch having fast electric
training scar, besides Maxims.
The speed attained on the trial was
over tWenty-four knots, both for the
Hai-Tien and Hai-Chi, as the ships
are named, each of which has dis
placement of 1890 tons. 1t is evident,
therefore, that China has at present
a small, but certainly an efficient,
fleet, if only it is properly handled.
The fleet is not likely to be proper
ly handled, as there is not an officer
Of the Chinese navy who is capable
Of commanding a man-of-war and
fighting her. And, even were such
an officer to exist, it is doubtful
whether he would be placed in a pO-
sition of responsibility, as the eter-
nal system of squeeze" which pre-
walls from the highest to the lowest
in China means that commands and
official positions Of every description
are obtained by those who have the
most influence, or. in other words,
who are in the position to offer the
greatest bride; and when once COM
mand is obtained it is used as a
means of making money, by only en-
ploying half the number of men for
whom ratiOns are drawn and a var
iety of other means.
Admiral Lark has undoubtedly left
his mark on the Chinese navy. While
he was in charge the standard of
drill, gUnneGy and general discipline
was a very high one, and it will take
some time for this to wear off, but
wear off 1t will, unless more Europ-
can officers are introduced.
It is characteristic of the Chinese
that the naval depot should be at
TakU. The dock yards, such as they
are, are situated close to the mouth
Of the Pei-HO river, but there is no
dock there capable of dealing with
any of the fleet mentioned and the
approaches are so shallow that the
ships have to anchor eight miles
from the entrance to the river, quite
out of sight of land. There the feet
has lain for some considerable time,
and there it will probably remain.
Occasionally single ships go for a
short cruise around the Gulf Of Pc
Chee-Lee, but the fleet has not yet
been taken to sea.
With Port Arthur in the hands of
the Russians, Kiao-Chau in posses
sion Of the Germans and Wei-Hai-
Wei LEASED" to Great Britain, China
is deprived of all her best harbors il
the north, and with the exception of,
perhaps, Che-Foo there is practically
nowhere where an efficient naval base
could be established.