The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-11-30
CHINA'S SHABBY SOLDIERS.
Sorry Made by Troops of the
Celestial Empire.

LOIluol 1lneS-
1t woul be hard to conceive OF anything
more unmilitary than d Chinese military
procession. Regularity, uniformity, and
precision are 10 US essential qualities Of
anything military. 1t is next TO impOs-
sible TO repress a smile as the swaying,
ragged line saunters Chat is about the
gait) down the street under the kindly pro-
lection Of paper umbrellas and TO the
graceful movements of the fans welded by
these representatives of the stern art Of
war.
Gaudy pennants on a hundred slender
bamboo spears are believed to be suffi-
Client to strike terror into the hearts of any
foe reckless enough to venture within sight
of these serried ranks. If this should not
be sufficient, certainly no enemy could long
stand before the horrid grimaces, the ex-
traordfnary leapings and tortuous. gyratons
and the hideous yells of the men who, in
their arduous zeal for country Cor is il for
the pay-10 cents a day2 are willing 10
WELD one Of these aforesaid engines of mod
ern warfare-the aforesaid bamboo spears.
But let us be just. In fact, there are really
some guns. Fully half the men nave rifles.
Let us Stimate We Will upp0S that the
colonel is wing government pay for LOO
men. That means that he keeps 400 or 5r
men actually in the ranks. II the regiment
SuOulQ ID called upon 10 undergo inspection
or TO report for duty to a superior, the
clever colonel depends upon chance TO be
able to pick up the other halt regiment at
the moment. Then, we have seen some
hundred or so of the men carrying bamboo
spears. After making all reductions We
thus find that the regiment in the process
sion has perhaps as many as 80 or 800 rifles.
But such rifles Old fiintlOcks, muZzle-
leaders, obsolete patterns Of many kinds.
Some have bayonets, others none. All are
corroded with rust, inside and out.
And note the order-or disOrder-of the
ranks. Evidently they have never got be-
yond the awkward squad" in drill. Every
man takes the step that best suits his in
dividual taste. They struggle and wobble
in a most unmilitary fashion. Some carry
their guns at shoulder" others at trail,
and some muZZle foremost, as if they were
carrying a pole. Great straw hats bedeck
the martial brows of some, while others
are bareheaded, save only by their dense
black hair. On their feet are straw san
dals. y charitable observer might say the
regiment was in uniform. But ii is a warm
day, and it is more exact to say that they
are out of their uniforms. \ few of them,
more heroic still, retain the whole dress,
but the majority appear more or less In I'M
dress. Some have the coat flung across
the shoulder, some on the arm, while
some-like the real tramps they are-have
tied their clothes in bundles and swing
them on their guns
file. What of their leaders, the officers?
There they ride proudly at the head Of the
procession. On prancing steeds? Nay, on
SpiritleSS, ungrOOmed, understood ponies,
for all the world like unkempt mustangs.
The men look like women in their long
skirts, flowing sleeves and peaked hats,
with peacock feathers and silk tassels. And
the music, or, rather, the din and noise
made by three or four brazen trumpetS
seems a sorry substitute for the inspiring
strains OF one of our military bands, OF
even the rattle of a drum and fife corps.
We have now witnessed a typical Chi
nese military procession. Our impressions
are various. We must have noticed that
the men were of a very low order. This Is
because in China the soldiers calling is the
most degraded. He belongs to the dreSs
of society. He is despised and feared. He
is classed with tramps n beggars. In
fact, the disbanded soldiers furnish the
country with it's plentiful supply of ban
ditti and robbers. 1t is a very usual thing
in China, if a band Of robbers becomes toe
great and powerful, for the government &c
receive them into its service as soldiers and
their leaders as officers.
The poor equipment is largely the result
of corruption. China spends enough money
to secure efficient arms and men, but per-
haps not half is ever really applied TO It's
proper purpose. The lack of efficient of
ficerS comes from the general popular sen
timent that the military profession Is no
honorable. AS to the lack of soldierly bear
ing, it arises from two SOurceS-one the
slOvenly habits Of this class of men ano
the other the utter lack of appreciation OF
military discipline and regulations on the
part of the government and officers. The
spears are, of course, a relic Of medieval
times and appliances
China. has a few soldiers who come with.
in a measurable distance of Western
standards. She has a few modern ships
although not one properly manned. Bu1
the above gives a very fair picture or hel
: military power and methods. She will not
| learn war because she deSpiseS the soldier
So that even when she gets a vessel or z
cannon she is still unable to produce the
man behind the gun" which is the most
| important factor in military strength.