The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1900-08-14
CHINA HAS
VAST ARMY
Equipped With Modern
Arms.
HAS PLENTY OF MAOSERS
A. H. Butler, of San Francisco,
Says Million Men viii
Be Needed.

Every traveller who comes from the
Orient tells the same story of the great
preparations which the Chinese nave
been making for war, in the past few
years, but none has spoken more en-
phatically on the subject than A. IL.
Butler, president of the California and
Oriental Steamship Company, who ar
rived on the steamer Thyra yesterday
from the East bound for San Fran
cisco.
IT consider the outlook in China as
most serious" said he last evening,
more so than the world yet believes.
In my travels through China during
the present year 1 have found every
where thousands of armed and drilled
and equipped troops. ready with all the
most modern arms, to tackle the first
enemy that appeared.
1.-THE idea that the Chinese troops are
armed with medieval weapons and I'M
drilled and undisciplined is all wrong
I have heard they control nearly all
of the Mauser rifles in the world. Gus
tom house certificates Will show that
they have at least 100000 Mausers, that
have been imported within the last rev
years. An English tourist told me that
about Tien- tsin alone the Chinese I'm
perial Government had more big guns,
Krupps and other modern engines OF
war than were possessed by the entire
German army. l met four or five men
in China who had been out there for
years selling guns and ammunition to
the Chinese Government and to the va
rious Viceroys. They have krupp guns
IN plenty, and modern rapid firing and
machine guns, and they have been
taught how to operate them until they
know as much about their management
as any European soldiery.
"All over the Empire there are arsen-
ais where they are now making their
own ammunition and storing 1t away
in immense quantities. AT HankoW,
for example, where we went, five hum
dred miles or more from the coast up
the Yang-tse. there were 10000 well
drilled troops. They had been under
the instruction of Count Bernsdorf OF
the German army for several years. and
were as fine body of men as you could
ask to see, we'll equipped with Mauser
rifles, and in all respects as good fight
ers as any European troops.
"China must have an immense stand
ing army by this time. l have no
doubt that there are at least 100000
troops about Picking at the present
time. The Viceroys of the different
provinces have been sending them in
patches of a few thousands at a time
Of the Viceroys are In sympathy with
the foreigners, they would be unable
to control the troops after they were
placed at the disposal of the Imperial
Government. 1t will take at least
100000 troops to put an end to this war
IL 1t goes much farther, Of that l am
sure. after seeing China and knowing
the conditions there. Those who have
not been and seen with their own eyes
what immense forces the Chinese Gov
eminent has at hand cannot appreciate
what task Is before the allied forces.
1.-THE best hope for cessation of hos
tilittes Is that some man like Ii Hung
Chang will intervene and prevent active
hostilities from going any further. 1
think 1t was a mistake for the allied
fleets to fire on the forts at Taku. 1t
precipitated the troubles at Tien-tsin
and Picking, and l believe that had
there been no such attack we should
have had the ministers out of Peking
before this. 1t was that attack which
caused the Imperial troops to take sides
with the Boxers. If 1t had been avoid
ed the Imperial troops would have join
ed to protect the Ministers.
II believe fully that the Ministers are
still safe in Picking The Chinese are
willy race and l think that they are
holding the Ministers as hostages and
will deliver them up as soon as they
are convinced that the rest of the world
is not leagued against them for the
ACKNOWLEDGMENT of their country. While
in Picking, which / left on May eth, I
had talk with Minister Conger. He
then expected trouble, but nothing
more than such riots as have taken
place every few years. He did not
dream of anything like what has taken
place since. He talked with me of the
Dowager Empress and he gave me a
better impression of her than / had had
before. | think that had not the Min
listers sent for marines to protect them
they would have been able to leave
Picking easily and without restraint. AS
soon as the Chinese heard of the mar
Ines going to Picking they thought II
the preliminary to a general invasion
and they went out FROM Tien-tsin and
tore up the railroad between there and
Picking,
81 do not think the provinces to the
south VIII Join in the present trouble
unless a general war commences. In
that case no one knows the outcome. 1t
Will be too terrible to think of. 1t win
mean the slaughter or the departure OF
every foreign resident In China except
those at Hongkong. They will be safe
there, but those at Canton would be
helpless so would those at Shanghai,
and at WI Chang, and at Han Wow on
the Yang-tse, and those at Flu Chow on
the Min. None or these places are de-
Tended, and they are surrounded by
Chinese troops that need but the word
from the Imperial Government to cut
them Off and then kill them at their
leisure.
"But ! hope that III Hung Chang and
others or the leaders VIII be able 10
Intervene aud stop the hostllities, II
IN very serious situation, and unless
the war " brought 90 a conclusion very
4 al ~ "a