Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-01-28
GEN YIN TCHANe

been plain that the material for an uncom-
monty fine army was abundant In China;
dWelis on the manner in which Gordon
turned the Chinese under his command into
soldiers. and points out that the Wei-ha-
wei regiment in the present day has proved
itself brave, efficient ard entirely amenable
to discipline as 1t Is understood in Europe.
And. in entering upon his description of
the Ho-chien-fu maneuvers, he asserts that
the organization, disposition and bearing
of the $1,000 men who took part in them
excited the ana8ement of the few foreign
experts who saw them. Having gone to
Ho-chien-fu in the anticipation of behold
ing military parade half comic, half pa
thetic, they returned to Peking declaring
that they had seen modern army and as
sisted at a display momentous and epoch
making in the history of the far east.
For the purpose of the maneuvers the
5000 troops engaged were divided into two
opposing arnlies-each heavily burdened
with tents, bedding and food for the troops.
Efficiency in transport and commissariat is
generally accepted as indicating efficiency
in other branches of military activity, and
this expert declares that the Chinese ar
rangementS on the present occasion were SO
complete and worked out perfectly as
to regularly confound those who had looked
for breakdown.
Continuing, he asserts that there is not
much to choose between a European and
Chinese regiment. Physique, equipment
and department. he adds, impress one as
much the same. At attention the Chinese
sive, yet in attitudes instinct with life, the
expressions on their faces firm, often sug-
gestive of strong character"
Xxx
He adds that skirmishing is conducted in
orthodox fashion, the men showing great
attention to the work in hand, carefully
following every order with regard to sight
ing rifles and SO forth. When advancing
they avail themselves of every scrap of
cover and the control of each subaltern
over his section Of the line seems absolute.
Turning to artillery work, the Times rep
resentative remarks that of the 1862 guns
employed at the maneuvers he saw at least
half in action, and declares: Better fire
discipline could scarcely be conceived, while
the manner in which the drivers handled
their teams and brought the guns out of
line was a sight for the gods"
The Chinese engineering this expert
praises highly and declares that the dis
patch with which q regiment of cavalry
was embarked and disembarked was adj
mirable, and probably could not have been
surpassed by any army in the world. And
In closing he describes "the marvel of dis
cipline" by which the two Chinese armies
OF $1,000 men were Unanswered into two
straight lines three miles long in the exact
positions arranged beforehand and at the
precise moment planned.
II this is the Chinese army of the present
it may, perhaps, be guessed what sort of
fighting machine Gen. Yin Tchang and his
American and German trained lieutenants
will have succeeded in producing at the
end of five or even three years from the
present time. That they will have practi-
cally unlimited funds to draw upon is evil
dent and that the Chinese government
enters into the scheme of army reorganza-
ton in no half-hearted fashion is shown by
the interest which both the empress and
court took in the recent maneuvers, and
the fact that royal personages were ap-
pointed to attend them.
And what VIII be the mission of the
Chinese army of the future, once It is in
being? That 1t will be utilized in securing
China for the Chinese is already avowed
The idea Of foreign aggression is secuted
for the time being. Is 1t slumbering in the
minds Of Gen. Yin Tchang and the men at
the helm in the fiowery kingdom? The
world is likely to know before much time
has passed. HAYDEN CHURCH.