The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1900-10-21

did not know Kang Yuh Wei and LANG
Cho. and that he would not receive them.
HIS ignorance In this case WAS probably
diplomatic. and certainly to the loss of Eng
land; FOR had the English Minister admitted
the Emperor into the LEGATION he would
have made England the coming great power
in China. The reform party was then
strong and the Empress Dowacer would not
have dared 10 have made war upon the
Emperor in the English legation. Failing
10 elicit the support of the English Minis
ter. Mr.. Richards next sent a message to
Minister conscr. but he happened TO ne
away at his summer home in the hills, and
ii is claimed that the letter never got be
yond the Eatckeeper. who may have been
one Of the nowagcr's spies. II must be re-
membered that 1T This time the Emperor
was the de facto ruler OF China, and that
as such the United States would have
gained Il predominant influence by support
ing him.
China has been getting ready for trouble
ever stree the close of the Japanese war.
Several wears ago | had an interview on
the situation In China. with Yang Yu. who
Is. | believe. now Chinese Minister 10 Ger
many, but who preceded WI Tins Fang
as Minister to the United States. 1t was
Just after the war. and he warned me that
the Chinese Army would be reoTsaniz't
after modern methods. He said that the
country would have new ships, new forts.
and ITS military strength would be IN
creased. that 1t could defend itself against
any nation or all nations. He took a pencil
and figured up the possibilities OF the Chi
neSe Army OF the future. lie said China
could put twice as many men in the field
as amy other nation. referred to the won
derful wealth Of the country and its min
eral resources, saying that il could make
its own guns and munitions of war. He
told ne that the iron mines near llank"w
would be developed and new arsenals built.
This prophecy has been borne cut by tho
facts. IN. a.StndlS at Tl.v-TSln. Canton
ard Marking have been busy for the past
four years. and the kiagnan arsenal. here
at Shanghai. IS still turning out guns OF
all descriptions. and smokeless powder as
well. The Empress Dowaser has been inn
porting Mausers and aTming the troops,
factories have had their agents here try
ing TO introduce American rifles.
The Chinese think we'll of our guns, and
the Niceroy of Canton not long ago asked
Consul General Goodnow for the name OF
the best American gun and of the most
responsible of the American firms. 1t hap
pened that one of our gun factory agents
was in Shanghai at the time. and at the
suggestion Of the Consul General. he went
to see the Nice-oy and offered to ill his
order at 10 taels per gun. or lb."c taeis
for all. The Niceroy replied that he would
give him the order. but that he must have
the stuff at once. The agent then cabled TO
the United States and in reply was told
that the guns could not he furnished with
In less than a year.
Upon this the Viceroy said that this
would not do. he must have the guns at
once. He then applied to the Germans,
who told him that they could give him what
he wanted In sixty days. and that at ii
taels each. They got the order. but the
guns sent were q lot of old weapons haid-
~ worth their freight.
At the arsenal AT Shanghai the Chinese
are making guns almost as large as any
made in the Washington Navy Yard. Some
Of them are thirty-iiye feet long. with pro-
~jectiies weighing a thousand pounds. Arm
strong rapid-tiring guns are made and also
modern rifles. PTojectilcs OF all kinds. from
steel as high as your waist, are turned out
in great quantities. and the different kinds
of shot and shrapnel number about 200.
The work is all done by Chinese under one
or two foreign superintendent.
Many of the weapons with which the
Chinese are armed come from Hankow.
The great Niceroy Chang Chi IunS has an
arsenal there upon which he is spending
out are a sort of Mauser. and the steel
comes from the steel works at
just above Hankow. There are large iron
mines In the vicinity. and coal mines, TO
which a railroad has been built
l was at the city of Hang-Chow not long
ago and had a chance TO see the troops
there undergoing their drill. They did well.
showing the effect of their rigid training
Tung's troops have been drilled by Ger
mans, and this is so, / nm told, with most
of the armies of the Viceroys. In the mill
tary and naval schools Germans. Belgians
and Russians are employed.
Modern Guns have been introduced as rap
idly as possible, 100 $50 Mausers having been
recently bought. The arsenals have also
been turning out n number of cuick-frins
of one-iIch caliber. each to be manipulated
by two men. This weapon is nine feet long
and Is fitted with a homemade breech
mechanism OF the Mauser order.