The times., 1901-06-21
TROOPS OF THE ALLIES.
Reports on the Cpntingents Which
Served in China.

The War Department has compiled for
publication a report by General Chaffee
| on the operations of the American force
in China, which is accompanied by sever
al reports of officers attached to General
| Chaffees command.
General Chaffees report calls attention
to the meritorious conduct in action OF
| Lieutenant Heiberg, of the Sixth Caval-
ry, who with fifty men of Troop a, IN
conjunction with a force of Bengal Lam
GERS, made reconnaissance to determine
the location of large force OF Boxers
He also praises the work of Captain For
syth of the Sixth Cavalry, for successful
scouting work and the skill and enterprise
in attack of Lieutenant Hyer, OF the
Sixth Cavalry. The report gives a com
rlete description of the expedition OF
Companies C and d, of the Fifteenth In
fantry, under Major E. 3. Robertson
and mentions n number of officers for
gallantry and valor.
The report of Major w. E. Craighill OF
the Fortieth Infantry, on the Russian
troops in North China, accompanies Gen-
eral Chaffee's report. The information
gained of the Russian forces was consid-
cred meagre and unsatisfactory. lie says
that infantry, artillery. cavalry, and en-
=
road between there and the road to Pekin
and at the latter place. The uniform worn
by the enlisted men was nearly the same
for all arms except the distinctive marks.
1t consisted of a soft, fat white cap with
visor, white blouse of cotton cloth, very
loose and tied at the waist with leather
strap. The characteristic feature of the
infantry soldier was that he carried no
bayonet scabbard. His bayonet was al
ways fixed and his rife was never out Of
reach of his hand. The ammunition is
carried in pouches on the waist belt.
The rations carried were of the sim
pIest kind, consisting of hard brown
bread, salt, pepper, and tea. They were
Industrious foragers and obtained meat
and other items of this kind from the
abundant resources of the country. The
troops had no tentage In their camps
the men lived in houses or huts made of
native mats and other similar material.
The discipline of their infantry seemed
to be up to the excellent standard which
they had the reputation for maintaining.
No opportunity was had for observing
their artillery closely. Their cavalry con-
sisted entirely of Cossacks. They were
mounted on rough, shaggy little ponies,
about the size of those in the Philippines.
L HS INuSSldn ldliDI SttLltu "
have no features worthy of imitation.
y report OF observations made of Jap
anese troops is submitted by Major
Charles II. Muir, Thirty-eighth Infantry,
who says:
The drill of the japanese is charac-
terized by simplicity, directness, and pre-
cisions In the manual of arms there are
but three positions of the piece-order
right shoulder, and present. The Jap
anese enters the service, serves three
years, and then goes into the first reserve
for five years. After that he goes into the
second reserve for -four years. He re-
ceives almost no pay, but is actuated by
almost intense patriotism and pride in his
position as a soldier. He is very obedient
and yet has an individuality which does
not always go with sucl. strict discipline
He has a great curiosity to see what is
going on, both on and off duty. As a SEN
tinel, he stands at ease, but In manner
showing that he is sentinel and that
he is constantly on the. alert The com
puIsory service and strict physical re-
quirements, with a system of reserves, en-
ables Japan to keep a body of trained
Japan can keep the armament and equip
ment on a par with her soldiers, she is
most valuable ally and most formidable
enemy
Major CrakhlH also reports on the
French troops in North China. The in
fantry and engineers, he says, are arm
ed with a Libel eight millimetre rifle,
which can fire eight shots without reload
ing. The ammunition is carried in pouch
IS on a black leather belt. The marine
artillery understood to correspond very
nearly to our garrison artillery are equip
ped as the infantry. except that they have
a short carbine with a long sword bayo-
net. The cavalry has a similar carbine,
but without the bayonet. The pack OF
Fla sold 10 iTntl
own knapsack. The system OF supplying
ammunition for the infantry contemplates
the soldier carrying largN number Of
rounds on his person, and corresponds
very closely with our own practice, ex-
cept that the French soldier can carry
more ammunition IN his belt than ours
The Germans in North China were OBJ
served by Col. j. T. DiCkman, Twenty
ninth Infantry, Z. s. V. The arm of
the Germans is a Mauser rife, calibre 75
millimetres. The bayonet is very long,
and ammunition is carried in two pouches
attached to black leather belt, Whch;
at the back, rests on two buttons sewed
10 the blouse. The German troops are
not provided with canvas, but depend upon
bilieting The marching of the troops as
far as observed has been excellent. The
organization is kept well closed up with
but a few ragglers. The German officers
are well educated, clean and well dressed,
polite punctilious in their military cour-
tesy, and with much zeal for their ser
vice. The discipline of the men is excel
lent
Colonel Dckman also reported upon
the British troops of whom he says:
There seemed to be no effort, not even
a desire on the part of the British staff
TO preserve the units intact. The Brit
ish took excellent care of themselves and
there are many indications showing that
they were experienced campaigners. Their
officers had superior knowledge of the
character of various troops and knew how
to conduct their intercourse with them.
Their discipline was excellent.
Ma jor w. II. Banister. surgeon, U. S.
V, reported on the medical departments
of the allied forces, giving a detailed de-
scription of the field and hospital medi
cal equipments of the various forces and
describing each at length. He describes
the camp sanitation enforced by the va
riouS commanders
Majo 5. NJ Mills, Artillery Corps, re-
ports on observations, equipments, sup
plies. etc; First Lieut.. ]. r. Lindsay,
Tenth Cavalry, on the siege Of Pekin;
Capt Grote Hutcheson, Sixth Cavalry, on
the Paoting-fu expedition and murder of
the American missionaries at that place.
First Lieut. G.. 5. Turner, Tenth Infantry.
of the march of troops composing the
Paoting-fu expedition; Lieutenant Colonel
Dickman, on the record of events with
current comment, August to November,
1900.
The document ends with an extensive
summary of military operations in China.
SENT BACK TO BRISTOL.
IN sRa Made the