Arizona republican., 1903-03-03
CURRENT COMMENT
Chinese Military Efficiency.

A suggestive and somewhat startling answer to the often asked question as to the military potency of an awaken ing of China" was given not long ago at Wei-Hai-Wei. It will be remem- bered that when Great Britain leased that port and started to make it for tfied station a Chinese regiment was organized, under British officers. to serve as an auxiliary to the British troops there. The British had been mo- tably successful in transforming other aliens into effective soldiers, suc. as the Sikhs and Ghoorkas and Houssas, but this was the first time that the ex- pertinent had been made with Chinese There was some doubt of it's success, since the Chinese were not regarded as belonging to a true warrior race" bu. the experiment was earnestly made for time. A year ago the regiment was disbanded on account of the British governments decision not to proceed with the fortification of the place anc
 not to maintain a garrison there. But the result of that brief trial of the Chinese as soldiers is highly interest ing and instructive.
 Speaking of the now disbanded reGi
 ment, an experienced officer of the British army says: '-I am fully col- vinCed that, outside some parts of
 northern India, we can pe-er nave bet
 ter native troops. judged from any standpoint. As far as actual harc work is concerned, I would match them
 against any other Orientals AS re- gards their smartness under arms. Gen a l1at
 the finest native troops he had ever seen" The same officer further de- clares that the Chinese soldiers were loyal, obedient and stanch. They had, of course, no opportunity to show tn afr mettle in serious warfare. But all mil itary men who saw them were con vinced that they would have proved highly effective fighters in almost any circumstances. The Chinese disregard of danger, pain and death is wei; known. This natural trait, added to the qualities developed through proper
 training, would make them almost ideal soldiers.
 That, then, is the answer, or at least one answer, to the question of Chinese military prowess in case of the "awak- ening' of that empire. If the masses of the Chinese people should becomc imbued with the military spirit. and be organized into such regiments as tha-
 at Wei-Hai-Wei was. no nation might
 be able to stand against them. Their overwhelming numbers would make up for whatever deficiencies they might suffer from. and an army of scores O.
 millions might overcome any barriers Europe might oppose to it. In surh case the "Yellow PeriI' of the German ! emperor would be no phantasm or e-:- aggeration, but stern reality. We must remember, however, that though an Chinamen may look alike to us, there is in fact little homogeneity in the em- pire. Not only north ana south, but other parts of the empire. are at vari- ance with each other. Province is an | tagonistic to province, and even village to village. The village is the unit, and among the villages there is litt:e CO
 hesion. Nor is there any assurance that the awakening" of China would | unify the nation. On the contrary, it | is probable that in many cases it would intensity differences and divisions. An awakened China would probably be a 1 divided China, and thus a harmless
 one. Nevertheless, what was learned
 at Wei-Hai-Wei is lesson which
 should not be forgotten.-New York | Tribune.