The Army of China.

Manawatu Standard, Volume 4, Issue 241, 13 September 1883, Page 3

The Army of China.

'The Japan Mail, m an aiticl^ hn tli military power of China, says that aanalysis of that power will show a:-. proximately the following result : — Thf populationhas been estimited at four hundred "millions, but it is dpubtful whether, after the- rebellions and famines of recent years, it is now more than 1 three hundred and fify millions, Tho number of Chinesft troops, as given by 1 the native authorities, is wholly? anre--liahle. In 1 1823 it was said to havebpen 1,263.000 men, but subsequent? careful : inquiries reduced this to 602,000. '■ Even that is probably, too high an estimate, 1 for it is notoriously the practice of Chinese officers to reduce their commands during eleven months of tjhe'year,' I drawing at the same time the full pay, and only bringing the * force up to the proper standard when an inspection is feared. Coolies are then armed, and,' without drill or discipline, are placed m the ranks, to be discharged again .when the inspection has been held ;" This was the course pursued when troops Were despatched to Formbsa to threaten the Japanese. Many men were inveigled ;6n board the troopships under false pretences; and, when they discovered the [fraud and danger which tbey might have, to face, jump-id overboard and were drowned' in' Shanghai River. T-he habit of deception is too deeply imbedded m the mind of theChineso officer and too profitable m itself to be destroyed' by simple regulations. But, even admitting the number of men m the armyjo be, more than half-a-mi'ilion, the most t;hat can be taken into considera tion jas active troops-i- less than half that number ; for it must >not be forgotten that the army is scattered over- an ; area of 10,000,000 square kilometres, :and that China possesses no means of transport for troops. That this must remain the case for many y<»arß anyone who knows the strength and depth of Fmsj-shui m the Chinese mind wiU easily believe. '