Waterbury evening Democrat., 1904-02-06
JAPANESE.
instances of Their Resourceful-
 ness While on a Campaign.

Instances of Their Resourceful- ness While on Campaign. <IADE CAMPFIRES IN ANT HILLS, barring the March to Peking Mil<8- Piece Of Wood They Saw and Lived Almost Wholly on Rice-Device For Their Morning Wash When Water ' Nas Scarce.
 Whether the. Japanese will display reat efficiency in strategy and tactics h fight with European power re- hains to bss tested. According to some Iuthorisses, they have much to learn both departments before their mil tary education can be described as omplete. There is, however con- ensus of opinion that in the campaign kith China and more recently in the harch to the relief of Picking the mika- Hos soldiers gave abundant proof of Native resourcefufness. The wrinkles thich they learned on both occasions &night excite the admiration of an merican backwoodsman, and most, Undoubtedly they will prove of good ervice when they again take the field, lays the New York Herald.
 N The correspondents who accompanied he Peking relief expedition have re- orded some instances illustrating the esourcefulness of the Japanese soldier. For many days the latter marched upon
 trail over which many others had receded him, and the country so far as kood, fresh provisions and supplies Ienerally are concerned was barren as he Sahara. 1t has been claimed for he Boerg that they lived for months Hn little btltonG (strips of sun dried beat), coffee and ruske. But the Jap nese, as rule. carried only a prepa- btion Of rice, which lasted them for 23ae greatest part of the campaign. Hometimes they like to boil or fry heir meager rafions, and experience hught them that they could not rely |pon f1rewood at the next camping round. The laps were equal to the mergency. As they marched along rst one man, then another, would spy a piece of wood. Every bit found b the line of march would be jealous
 husbanded, and so it happened gen. raIly when camp was pitched that livery other soldier had strapped to his alise the wherewithal to make camp re.
 There are many kind of campfres, nd for military purposes the trench |ystem is often used, but the Japanese tscovered plan which they found to e far more economical. There were ig ant hills dried almost hard as rick all the way to Picking. Very ften they were deserted. It was the york of a few moments to hollow out be center and then to excavate little lnnel at the base facing the breeze. The wood blaged spiandtdly under the atural air draft, ana the eartten aIls Of the ant hill ecollomised the eat. For baking rice puddings in annikins or frying the same with a tile fat in the soldiers regulation cam een 1t is claimed that the ant hill oven roved wonderfully efficient. Tn South frica British soldiers had many op- ortunities of testing the virtues of a cod solid deserted ant hill as de- enSlve earthwork, and it seems trange that 1t should have been re- erved for their allies in the far east b ascertain it's capacity for cooking. his time, however, the Japanese boast hat they will be able to take the field yith metal field ovens of the German ype, which represent, it is believed, he most efficient system yet discov- red. Their regimental water carts, moreover, have been overhauled and re now fitted generally with filter ap- aratus.
 Water was often scarce on the march b Picking. Now the average Jap is a ery cleanly soldier, and he likes his aorning wash every whit as much as he European fighter. In order to over- ome the dearth Of water he hit upon
 device which affswered we'll enough. first, while stripped to the waist, he Fould father his face and neck, using or the purpose few drips of the pre- ious fluid contained in the regimental annikin. Then he would invite the o-operation of comrade, who was harged to take the pannikin and pour he remainder of the water slowly and < arefully over the soapy neck and face. was not claimed that this form of insing was perfect, but it had the nerit of using every drop of water at land, whereas in the ordinary way such was wasted
 The field engineers of the Japanese rmy have learned great deal con- erning camp sanitation and water sup iy in recent years, and the plant vith which they now accompany the roops is probably equal to the Russian ppliances. In the case of Korea, at ny rate. the Japanese have an inti- hate Knowledge of the country, it's iyers, streams and natural springs,
 hich sgin serve them well in case of peratlops In the Hermit Kingdom