The Washington herald., 1911-11-19
Creation of Modern Fighting Force Dates From 1895
After Disastrous Defeat by Japan.

The modern army of China dates from
1895 and owes its beginning to an expert
men. force of 5000 men organized by
Yuan Shih-Kai and trained by Western
methods, which was stationed at Ksiao
Chan "a camp one days march south
west Of Tientsin), Immediately after the
conclusion of the disastrous war with
Japan. Yuan Shih-Kai may claim to be
the creator of China'S modern army. He
showed what Chinese troops could be-
come with proper training. Instead of
the iIl-fed, ill-clad. opium braves
of the old type, Yuan formed efficient,
well-trained force, recruited from a good
class of men from the rural district of
North China, and guaranteed by the local
authorities. Under his care soldering
tended to become an honorable instead
of a despiSed calling.
In November, 1903, the board of army
reorganization was established with the
object of remOdeling the Chinese army on
a uniform standard of efficiency, and
reorganizing il throughout. On April 16,
1906, an imperial edict ordered the crea
tion within ten years of thirty-sX dvi
sions of modern drilled troops to be dis
tributed among the twenty-five provinces
of China, to which was subsequently add
ed a guards division in Pekin. An edict
of June l, 1907 provided for the Fastening
of the original scheme, and for the estab-
lishment of the full number before the
end of 1872. There is. however, no possi-
bility of this scheme being completed
within the time deCreed.
Decree of 1909.
A decree of September, 1909, raised the
whole status of the military profession in
China, formulated corresponding ranks
between military and civil officials, and
reversed the old order which gave the
civilian precedence to the military. By
this new relative position a captain ranks
with a prefect, a major with taotai,
colonel with provincial judge, and so on.
To English officers travelling in China the
change is of material Importance. They
will no longer have 10 complain OF the
comparatively InimpOrtant place in the
Chinese hierarchy to which they were
entitled by their foreign military rank,
when a captain. for example, was regard
ed as of considerably lower rank than
district magistrate. decree of July is,
1909. proclaiming the Emperor as COM
mander-in-chief, still further enhanced
the prestige of the army.
On the following day another decree
created a general stan, the functions
OF which were enlarged and its power
extended by the edict of May s, 1911.
The general staff is now independent
of the ministry of war. II is under
the control of an intelligent young
prince, Tsao Tao, full brother of the
regent. who passed two years at the
Mobiles School in Pekin, and has trav-
.eled in Europe. His chief counselors
are Lieut.. Gen. Fang Kuo-chang,~ who
was China's first military attache in
Japan, and was afterward director of
the Mobiles School. and two brigadiers,
Ha Han-chang, who accompanied Tsai
Tao on his mission abroad, and LANG
ri, Manchu, both of whom were edu-
Gated in japan, and are regarded as
, most highly trained officers in the new
army. Jspanese-trained officers are in
charge Of each Of the six sections of
the general stan. In the coming ma