THE COMING WAR BETWEEN RUSSIA AND CHINA

Marlborough Daily Times, Volume II, Issue 142, 30 July 1880, Page 1 (Supplement)

THE COMING WAR BETWEEN RUSSIA AND CHINA

A Shanghai correspondent writes: ‘The whole atmosphere is charged with war. A steady exodus of about 1000 half-drilled, worse clothed, but fairly armed troops has been weekly maintained for the past two months. The first .few drafts sent o(f were armed with old percussion rifles, but a purchase in the American market of JO,OOO repeating and Remington breechloaders, with about 100 tons of ammunition for the same, has fairly set them up in arms; more ammunition and a number of sword bayonets are daily expected at Ningpo from Han Francisco. The levies from this neighbourhood are being despatched to Manchooria ait., 'he banks of the Ainoor. I lie Chinese policy is evidently—if met with Russian opposition upon their * nortV-wost frontiei to make a .counter-demonstration into South Siberia, an. incursion that principally will trust for success to tho known aversion of i the Siberian residents to the Russian Governments, • but which must also be ■ heavily discounted through the Chinese being as unpopular individually as tho more northern I’owcr is in the concrete, lhe .small but by/no means despicable fleet of (Chinese gunboats are concentrated here, and Vire in capital trim for active service, being n thorough repair and filled with all requisite - tores for six or seven months’ service. In • ‘he event of hostilities they will be disposed Mong the coast in ports not open by treaty tnght to foreign trade. The open ports ould be protected by the English and rench flags, supported by their respective Respective lleet3, as nearly all the buildings j nc d property within several miles of the pro are owned by foreign companies or "jculators. Should the present fluster anduy culminate in war, the dispute with * a will be healed by combining for tual profit and safety against the common ■ny by which combination 1,1100,000 800,000 Chinese and 700,000 Japanese) led troops would at once take the field, nearly another 1,000,000 partly-trained of good physique 1 are available as ves. Tho combined fleet consists of isscls only, but all of modern build and ART/ armament. The galo last year, in oying the Government (Chinese) Dockalso crushed in the gates of the dry materially retarding the work in l and, BEftce the damage has been repaired all are employed constructing and ex-, ng torpedo boats, after the model of a meneec ro £t p urc j iaae d, in i§yg for copy, toundi the mo