"AWAITING DEATH."

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1267, 24 October 1911, Page 5

"AWAITING DEATH."

f CHINESE TROOPS ROUTED. GENERAL AND ADMIRAL IN RETREAT. YUAN-SMH-KAI DISMISSED. Uy Tclcgranh-Prcss Association-Oooyricht (Rec. October 2:), 0.50 p.m.) Peking, October 23. Tlio National Assembly has opened. The Speech from the Throne did not mention the rebellion. An official dispatch to the British Legation states that unless General Yin Chang, the Imperial Commander-in-chief, obtains a decisive victory within the next few days, the whole of the Yangtze Valley will be ablaze. In reply to the Edict ordering him to co-operate with General Yin Chang to suppress the revolution, Yuan-Shih-Kai states that his foot has not healed, and enumerates other complaints from which ho is suffering, and which have caused him to be unable to work at present. A rescript was then issued, ordering Yuan-Shih-Kai to resurao his duties when he was better. Yuan-Shih-Kai's reply was ironical. He will be dismissed ostensibly owing to the injuries to his head and foot. Admiral Sa-Chen-Ping and General Yin Chang, in a joint dispatch, state that though the Imperialist forces were at first successful at Ilankau, they have had to many men wounded that the force was enfeebled, and as they were unable to securo reinforcements, they had to retreat. The fleet is without coal and rice. The dispatch concludes, "We aro now awaiting death." "COMPLETELY ROUTED." REBELS SUPREME IN HUPETH. NO LOAN FOR CHINA. (Rec. October 23, 0.20 p.m.) Peking, October 23. Many of tho shells fired by the Chiness gunboats at Hankau proved to be merely painted wood. This was the outcome of corrupt practices in the Naval DspaTtraent. Tho foreign Consuls at Hankau have proclaimed their neutrality. The Third Brigade of tho Imperial troops was completely routed at Hahkau, and stampeded northward. The brigade has returned to Hsin-yang-chau, 120 nnlea north of Hankau, to await reinforcements. The rebels are fortifying the bills. General Yin Chang, with a force of 20,000 men, is nearing Hsin-yang-chau. It is believed that the rebels hold tho passes connecting tho provinces of Honan and Hupch, and cutting off tho retreat of three thousand Imperial troops in Hankau. The passes aro also regarded as impassable for General Y r in Chang's Imperial forces. Tho rebels bold Hwang-cliau-I'n, sixty miles down tho Yanstso from Hankau, where the river is narrowest, for the purpose of harassing Admiral Sa-chen-Ping's fleet. It is stated at Shanghai tbat tho Government's application for a loan has been refused, on the ground that it would be a breach of neutrality, which tho Powers desire to observe. Consular reports confirm the fall of Chang-sha, the capital of Hunan. IMPERIALISTS IN FLIGHT. WOUNDED UNCARED FOR. Peking, October 22. Tho Hanfara rebels attacked the Imperial troops at Seven Milo Creek. The Imperialists tied far northward. • The Red Cross Society has not secured recognition by tho leaders of the Imperial troops. As a consequence many of the wounded wero uncared for, and wero subsequently killed or mutilated by civilian sympathisers with tho revolt. SYDNEY CHINESE DEMONSTRATION. Sydney, October 23. Tho revolutionary flag was hoisted by tho Chinese Masonic Society in Sydney yesterday. There was no demonstration. The revolutionary spirit is spreading. CHINA'S ARMY. LACK OF MILITARY DISCIPLINE. The reform of China's weapon of defence or offence, according to Mr. Archibald Colquhoun, the well-known writer on Far Eastern alVairs, are niaiiuy remarkable for the entiro revolution in feeling among tho Chinese towards the military profession. In a comparatively short, space of time the soldier, who was formerly of the most despised class in China, has become an important pereouage. Schools for the education of cadets and officers have been established in the principal cities, and to them the gentry, and even high ollicials, send their sons. Even in Sinantu all the boys are being put through military drill. It has been noticed on the railways that officers.now travel first-class, while the soldiers demaud proper accommodation and scats, instead of being herded in trucks as hitherto. This is all to the good in showing that China has realised tho necessity for military efficiency, but , , unfortunately, tho diEcipliuo of the troops leaves 'much to be desired. Several serious outbreaks have demonstrated recently that tho officers cannot control them. At Soochow, resenting the punishment of one of their comrades for open disobedience to orders, they showed their ill-feeling so openly that the General stepped leave, whereupon forty or mty broke out of barracks and "painted the town red." In .so doing they fell upon and nearly killed four English people, and looted a Japanese theatre and chemist's shop. The punishments meted out for these offences wero inflicted on perfons who were least likely to have been the offenders, and in answer to. representations tho Governor admitted his inability to insist on a drastic treatment of the soldiers for fear that all of them should mutiny. In Canton a much more serious Hot took place, with a similar origin. The provinco of Hunan was m a Etate of unrest early in April, and it was then rumoured that tho troops were involved. On April 13 took place an attack on the foreign mission at Uiniigsha and shortly after another on a German mission at Yuan-chow, and missionaries have had to leave four of their centres in this province, which is reported as unsafe for foreigners. To the south, Y imnan the country of classic rebellion, if apparently living up to its reputation. Even Chekianij, usually considered a quiet province, is reported to be in a ■state of dissatisfaction, and schools near Nin"po have been destroyed because the people attribute- to them the increase.ol taxation. The truth ia that havinp armed and trained something like 200,001 soldiers, it now liocomes pertectly evident, that Micro is no one strong euougli to control thorn. Tho fact that they arc not united but form Roparato armies in each province, and would probably ac against each other, is the one element oi snfftv. . , . , If'is one of the difficulties which a rmllv" far-sighted Central Government might have realisod-that a democratic people like tho Chinos will be hard t< work into a proper military machine. 11k distance between officers and men 111 point: of efficiency and knowledge is tot small, and tho former have not the habit of command. The writer has always hole] that tho Chinese aro unrivalled materia, for su\ army—given leaders. Tho unfortunate prevalence of anti-foroißn seuti'

of all foreign military instructor?, savo a few Japanese, and (lie consequences may 1)0 disastrous to Cliina. The dismissal of Vuan-Sliih-Kiii was another indication that Pe.king does not yet realise that China's ureal need at this liioment is men who can Irad. Jfeainvhilo the Prince Tsui Tao, who rejoices in tho honorific titlo of "Chief of Staff," is enßaned on a military mission to study the liicthoilh of the AVestorn world, with a view to on-n'rafting their best features oil to tho Chinese military systems.