The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1909-10-12
China's Future Army 2O,GOO,OOO

China's Future
est young men of that army, and are
being educated to become the officers
of the future. Those VINO rank high
est will be given the best places and
put in command, while the others Will
teach in primary military hoo
When the academies are started the
best Of the graduates will be admitted
there. and the will not be appointed
as officers until they have gone through
them. The present scheme contem-
dates four of such military academies
They will correspond to West Point
and will probably be located at the
chief cities Of Chilli, hupeh, Kiangsu
and Shensi."
\ Great War College at Picking.
How about the military univer-
sity?'
That will be at Picking. 1t will be
modelled on the same plans as your
new Wal College in Washington, and
will give the highest class Of instruc-
ton. 1t will deal with military prob
lens of all kinds and OF army Organi-
zation on the broadest scale. The
buildings have already been construct
ed. They are connected with the de-
partnent of war and lover several
acres. The War College and the
War Department together, have about
the largest modern buildings erected
since the Boxer rebellion.'
In addition to these military
schools" continued the colonel, every
one of the new public schools in all
parts of the empire is drilling its
Students. The government requires
that the boys have uniforms and that
they be taught military tactics. The
little elg~ht-year-OldS and t~en-year-OldS
are put through their military evolu-
/ Anc NJ n,-tai ~, dove of 01-A.~r --D@Jy
and all practice athletics and physi-
cal training. In some schools this
training is s~uperintended by officers
detailed from the garrisOns nearby,
and in others by Chinese teachers ed
ucated in the military schools at home
and abroad. In this way every Chi
nese school-boy is being fitted to enter
the army and a vast amount Of excel
lent material is in process of crea-
ton.
Soldiers Becoming Respected.
Has any change taken place i'll
the opinion of the Chinese as regards
the military profession"
Yes. A great change! Until now
the soldier has belonged to the low
est class of society. The celestials
have always held four grades of re-
~spectability. At the top are the
scholars who have studied or passed
the examinations. To this class
largely belong the officials, and teach
ers and writer's of every kind. The
second highest class embraces all who
have to do with tilling the soil: the
farmers and gardeners. After them
come the mechanics and still further
down in the scale the merchants ana
tradesmen, with the soldier lowest Of
all. Today the soldier is better paid,
and the government at Picking has
SO elevated his standing that the
army is now looked upon as a de-
sirable profession. Many of the
younger sons of the best families are
being sent abroad to be trained for
service, and many are in the army
and naval chools here. A military
school for the sons of mobiles has been
established at Picking. We had eighty
eight Of its students at the maneuvers.
They were all noble, and among them
were many of the sons Of the high
est officials. The military training
in the common schools is also raising
the social standing of the soldiers,
and, as the army grows in size and
Importance, China may develop a
military aristocracy such as now ex-
lists in Germany and Japan"
China's Military Equipment.
"How are the soldiers armed ?"
They have modern weapons, al
though not always Of the latest pat
tern. The regulations as to such
things are issued at Picking, but the
arms are selected and paid for by
the local governors, and they are
bought at the lowest rates. There
is undoubtedly fraud in many Of the
purchases; but the government sends
out it's inspectors to examine the army
equipment, and, on the whole, he
are effective. Of those now
in use, the most came from GERMANY.
but many are from Japan. The
Japanese guns are Of the latest pat
terms, and of excellent make. AS q