Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-02-27

are forbidden at the canteens. The military
shops and cante5ns are conducted under
the supervision of officers and the profits
accrue to the benefit of the enlisted men.
The Japanese ration Is simple and eeonom-
fcaf compared with that of the Russian.
1t consists of fish, rice and fruit with very
little meat. Japan has recently reduced Its
large quota OF military taflors and shoe
makers. Its array manufactured all of its
SHOES until last year Now 1t only repairs
them. Each soldier marches with a pair
OF extra shoes slung outside his little KNAPP
sack experiments are being made with
Khaki uniforms and American officers re-
gard 1t as misfortune that such color
was not adopted throughout the army be-
FORE the present campaign. The present
japanese uniform is gaudy to the extent
or beraying the presence of troops and of
anording excellent targets. The cavalry
men wear red trousers, while this color is
on the facingS of nearly all uniforms.
White caps and green collars add to the
consplcufty of the cavalry, while the
infantry and artillery wear the same cans
anu req stripes down their trousers. More
over, The coats of all troops are blue,
color discarded by all progressive armies.
Inc Tokyo arsenal is of zing interest
10 American and European officers allowed
10 VISIT 1t. 1t covers an immense area and
consists OF modern buildings wherein 5000
men We're at work before war broke out
ms FORCE has been greatly augmented in
recent months
tttllSllS WHICH eMCct saving
VI weight on the march, baggage wagons
sun carriages. bicycles shells cartridges
ana f'nes arc turned out here All of the
oa s,'t, infantry and engineers are now
.llneo win the new Meji rife of ma gazine
pattern, caliber Sc This small arm
adopted IN 1902. is pronounced by military
eHLerts TO be far superior to the Russian
, 1moodh musket, which has not been i'm
proved since 1881. The Meiji replaces the
Nufata rifle, which had the ,,n,sieldy tube
SssteIa OF liked ma gazine, and was too
leaVy. The Russian rife is said to clog
III the repeating mechanism The Cossack
carbine is of later pattern. adopted eight
years ago, but the Russian militia have
iidu 10 carry heavy musket of immense
gahoer, disco rded by the army in 1891.
rms superiority Of the japanese small arm
Is a factor which must not be overlooked
Dy the war forecas
Disappearing Targets.
moving targets handled by system of
ropes and pulleys so as to appear and dis
appear from FL fixed location, as well as
rise, descend and dodge to right or left is
used by the japanese soldier during rifle
practice The Japanese targets are i'm the
outline OF the human body. in silhouette as
seen Stahdlng at full length or kneeling
exposing the head and breast or only the
mead. These figures are in black against
white ground Similar targets with hui
man outlines, are used also by the Russian
soldiers, each of whom must fire 100 prac-
tfce rounds annually.
Practice in the hunting of wild beasts is
a peculiar course given to four sharpshoot-
ers OF vigorous constitution and good eve
slSht, selected from each Russian company
This training is supposed to devotion phy-
slcai courage, and to especially fit those
who take 1t for duty of unusual peril Hav-
ing finished the course they are detailed as
scouts.
Wrestling, fencing, exercises with the
ancient two-handed sword riding and gen
eral athletics figure in the educa ton of the
Japanese cadets in the military academy
at Iohyo The officers of the japanese
army and navy are mostly descendants Of
the military knights, an important clement
OF the 1eudal system prior to the general
REFORM OF government in 1868. Some of the
present o.der officers were indeed of this
knightly class in their youth AS such they
underwent a peculiar training designed for
the development of courage As children
they We're made to go barefooted in win.
ter were taken to witness the l,eheidjne
oi CRIMINALS and sent alone to The exaclI-
ton place late at night to Leave some token
on the decapitated head
hafa-klf1 fbelly cutting) will probably he
1 nedlo OF as an incident of the present war
Inns cefemOnious form of suicide by dis
Enforcement was an important item in
the code binding the military knights hav
ing been devised to save them degra dation
at the hands of their superjors Sbo11Id ON
OF the oid-school officers of the present
army or navy meet with disgrace as a 70
suit of maladninistration or negligence a
Is not unlikely that the world will hear of
ms hle1ng himself to his garden or ~ he
be on the march. he NAV hire a temnIn
Tor the purpose, to suffer this seIf-in fIicfod
death. He will go by night. taking with
nm tnree seconds. one (probably a kins-
mani to strike off his head at tbe noon,nr+
the dirk enters his abdomen anotbar ~
bear the knife on tray and the third ~
carry the head to witnesses for plIrnoses of
Identification. Po''@ VI
New Artillery for Both Sides.
new japanese telegraph battalion was
organized at Tokyo year ago. also a siege
arhliery corps. In the months past the
modern Osaka artillery arsenal has been
turning out new field piece, rapid-fire
gun and a howitzer. The artillery has 3.
o, 10 and 11-inch siege guns with wrought
steel hoops. The japanese also manufac-
ture Tor themselves. at their naval arsenal
IN Nufe. armor plate. guns carriages
Shells torpedoes and torpedo tubes be-
sides fireworks of all kinds The Russians
also are up to date in artillery. The Port
Arthur and Amur districts have just been
rearmed with new 3-inch uuick-fire field
guns. model of 1900 From all batteries of
these districts men were lately detailed to
the "Ust-1siera polvgon," near ST. Peters
burg. to familiarize themselves with the
new artillery and to- transport It to the far
east.
An oriental institute for the study of
Chinese was recently opened at Vladivostok
Io' tHe DeHellt OF RUSSIAN soldiers At
Aslshabad has been lately instituted a
military school for the study of Hindostani
the course lasting two years. Schools OF
French and German have also been newly
established in several military districts.
Russia is equipped with portable observa-
ton towers, readily dsiointed and dis
tributed among men on the march The
parts can be assembled and tower com
pleted in twenty minutes: or if the ready
made Joints be not supplied all can be
hewn from trees in a half hour The
cars army has lately experimental with
electric searchlights of 5000 candle power
which at an altitude of 600 yards will iilunn-
mate an area of 500 yards to the brilliancy
of daylight. Besides discovering the
enemy these can furnish light for men
working on night Notifications The most
powerful megaphones ever perfected were
lately adopted by the Russians They
magnify commands above the ioudest can
non roar.
JOHN ELFRETH WATKINS.
FOOD FOR FISHES
RaSllf NJ Study ~ &Ha