The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1912-01-30
A JAPANESE COMPARISON
Of CHINESE HOSTILE FORCES

During the present armstice be-
tween the rival forces in China, It
may be interesting to quote the com
parison made by the Jill between the
strength of the Revolutionist forces
and the Imperial government.
In the opinion of the Toxic journal,
the rival forces are pretty much on
level so far as fighting capacity is
concerned. 1t is in the matter Of
strategic and geographical advantages
that they differ. In This respect the
Revolutionists have a distinct super
fority over their opponents. With
their firm hold on the country from
Wuchang to Shanghai, and their pos
session of both the Peiyang and
Yangtse squadrons of the feet, the
Revolutionists command a vast sys-
tenn of communication on land, sea,
and river. For the rapid movement
of trops from one point of danger 20
another no advantage can be more
favorable, in that they can penetrate
far into their enemy's territory, with
its good roads and total absence of
fortified places. And in addition 20
these facilities, there is to be counted
the Pekin-Hankow railway. The I'M
perial government, on the other hand
is without the means of putting it's
forces into the field with the same
promptitude as the Revolutionaries. 1t
has not command of so vast a system
of communication. The Tientsin-
Chinkiang railway, for instance, still
remains uncompleted, and troops can
not be carried much further south
than Shantung by this route. Concen-
tration of military forces is rendered
almost out of the question, therefore.
What is strategically known as the
inside line of defense therefore re-
ing only the outside line" to the
Loyalist forces. The position of the
Imperialists, remarks our contempor-
airy, may be compared to that of the
Russian, army during the war.
in the matter of-numerical strength,
the forces do net differ in any great
measure The Inperialist force seems
to comprise about nineteen brigades
and that of the rebels about sixteen;
to the latter, however, must be added
a regiment or so of recruits. But in
so far as military equipment is con
.cerned, here the advantage lies un.
uuestionably with the Loyalist army
This superiority was exemplified N
the recent encounter at Hanyang
when the strong rebel lines We're
stormed and carried by the Imperial
lists. While the latter were armed
with powerful quick-fring guns anC
Japanese "Meiii Thirty" rifles, the
rebels were merely equipped with old
fashioned Mausers. The rebels were
placed at a further disadvantage IL
being unable to make use of theil
field artillery through want of ammu
milton, and were compelled to fal
back on their mountain guns instead
Until the rebels make good their man
ifest inferiority in the matter of mil
itary equipment and the proper sup
ply of the munitions of war; they can
not hold any reasonable hope o
striking a blow at the Imperial troop
now in possession of Chilli and tn
provinces further north. 1t is pei
haps true that the rebel forces whic
the other day effected the capture q
Marking are furnished with bette
arms than the rest of the Revolution
airy army, but the difference in thei
capabilities generally is not large,
Then as regards the training of tn
two armies and their temper an
spirit, there is again perhaps little
choose between them. The Huna
contingent of the Revolutionary arm
has displayed the most conspicuou
courage during the heaviest fightin
that has so far occurred, but this ha
been rendered in some degree les