The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1904-04-08
JAPANESE TROOPS
CARRY EQUIPMENT
Soldiers Bear All Luggage Made
Into Small Parcels on
Backs.
Space Economized in Manner
That Commands Admiration
r. Of Experts.
Equipment of Mikado's Warriors
Described in Letter From
Jack London.
Special to The Journal.

Special to The Journal.
San Francisco, April SACK Lon
don writes from Seoul to the Exam
liner as follows:
The Japanese sold1ery and equip
ment seem to command universal adj
miration- Not one dissenting voice
is to be heard among the European
and American residents in Korea. On
the contrary, favorable comparison is
made with our own troops and the
troops of Europe.
DIR. Wunsch, a German resident Of
Seoul and a man Of military expert
ence, was unmeasured in his praise Of
the little brown men," the "dwarfs,"
as the Koreans have called them from
old time. ..
What DIR. Wunsch especially re-
marked was the lack of noise In the
issuing Of orders on the part of the
officers. AS he put it, there were
practically no sounds at all.
The Japanese soldiers executed ma
neuvers apparently without command.
AT least there was none of the below
ing Of commands such as he had been
accustomed to in his own experience.
American and British army officers,
pleased tho they are with the conduct
Of the men, are especially concerned
with the equipment and commissariat.
Confessing that their own soldiers
would not be SO quiet and orderly,
they ~ Ol W SlllIIBe upon lie
ment of the men and upon the whole
system Of transporting them, provi-
sioning them and getting them to the
front.
Luggage in Packages.
In the first place, food, luggage and
everything in the way Of baggage
which must be carried with an army
are done up in packages which can
easily be handled by individuals UNI
q q mr. w n dc ha Hn
carried on the backs Of men.
So there. are no army wagons nor
army mules. Pack horses and coolies
do the work: and, tho many Korean
bullock carts have been put into serv-
ice, there Is no necessity for them.
The rice, which is the staple food,
is done UP in sixty-pound sacks. One
coolie can carry sack all day over
the most rugged country. Two sacks
go to make the load of Korean pony,
and from three to four sacks the load
of q Japanese pony. ,.
Meat Is put UP In half-pound tins,
eighty of which tins are incased in
q box. One horse under three of these
boxes carries one meat ration for a
company. Four horses carry a meat
ration for a battalion.
A sheet-iron cylinder, carried in Sec
lions, constitutes q camp stove. This
stove Is 27 inches high and 80 inches
in diameter. In this the fire is built
and into it Is fitted a sheet-iron kettle.
Into this, in turn, is fitted per-
forated kettle in which the rice is
cooked-and cooked without scorch-
ing. One kettle will cook rice for 100
men. Eight or nine such kettles will
suffice for q battalion.
Men Garry Disinfectant.
Sodium sulphate in tins is part Of
the soldiers outfit. 1t Is to be doubt
ed, in a country so fearfully unsani-
tary as Korea, if drop of healthy
drinking water can be found.
SO the sodium sulphate, in little
flannel sacks, Is placed in boiling wa
ter to precipitate the impurities, and
the little brown man. is thus given
q larger opportunity Of dying on the
battlefield.
In small cotton bags, weighing lit
tie and occupying less space, are
emergency rations. This ration is
made of rice. boiled and then dried
in the sun till each grain has shrunk
to the size Of a pinhead.
Each soldier carries six Of these ra-
lions in his knapsack. On a pinch
they would suffice him for days; and
always it must be remembered that
rice is to the Japanese what bread
is to us, and butter and meat to boot
The soldiers kit Is light and COM
plete. Including 120 rounds Of am
munition, 1t weighs 421a pounds. The
kit of the American soldier weighs SIS
pounds. I may quote General Allen
rs saying that the Japanese infantry
Is as we'll equipped as any in the
world
The soldiers mess pan Is after the
German pattern - aluminium and
blackened on the outside. 1t will hold
two rice rations, which, cooked in the
morning, he may carry with him fol-
the day. The water bottle, likewise
of aluminium, holds a full pint.
There are two methods of carrying
the kit. First, is the European KNAPP.
sack on the back; second, and proba.
bly, the better, is the American bande.
role--the blankets rolled and twisted
over the shoulder and about the body
Method of Carrying Kit.
Inrconnection with this is a sort O.
narrow bag, open at both ends, si1
inches wide and four feet long, made
of blue cotton drill, which likewise
crosses the shoulder and winds abou
the body.
A battalion varies in strength be
tween eight and nine hundred men
Each battalion has pack train of 1St
ponies. This constitutes it's caml
transport and immediate provisions fo
q few days.
In addition to this, there is tn,
regimental train, variable in size ant
composed of coolies, bulls. ponies
carts and anything that can move AM
carry weight.
Behind all this is the etappe serv
ice, or relay stations, the func
ton of which is to keep foo
and munitions moving in a con
slant stream to the front from tn
base of supplies. This service is o
the most vital Importance. When i
fails the soldiers at the front mus
break ground and fall back.
Everything depends on the firin!
line, but the firing line depends OF
the etappe service.
The Japanese army rifle is trifi