The Stratford Evening Post WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED THE EGMONT SETTLER SATURDAY, JANUARY 13, 1912. THE CHINESE ARMY.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXII, Issue 26, 13 January 1912, Page 4

The Stratford Evening Post WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED THE EGMONT SETTLER SATURDAY, JANUARY 13, 1912. THE CHINESE ARMY.

J)r. Morrison, the well-kiptyri correspondent pf, the London “Times”, supplies some interesting, particulars regprdingl the Chinese' Arniy. Assuming that its effective strength is the paper strength, and that no man is absent, the total strength amounts to 210,815 men. Careful investigation, however, shows that these numbers are far beyo,nd the real numbers, and that the actual strength consists of 180,000 foreign-dr died men, with 102 batteries of mountain and field artillery, each of 'six., guns. ‘ Of this 1 number 160,000

are combatants, who have received more -or less efficient military training. I’oreign-drillcd troops are now quartered in varying strength in each of the. three provinces of Manchuria, in each of the 18 provinces of China proper, and in the New Dominion, including Kuldja and Kashgaria, and preparations are in progress for stationing in the future 2000 men in Mongolia, barracks to accommodate this number being now under construction in Urga. It is worthy of note that of all the officers in the Chinese army less them 8 per cent, are Manohus. Among the high commands in Pekin there are very few Manchus. There are so few available that nearly all the senior officers in the first division —the Manchu division—are Chinese, the commander being a Shantung man of the old school. In the Guards, which was founded primarily as a Manchu division, but is now open to all cla sscs most of , the officers are I Chinese, not Manchu. The Minister for War is a Manchu named Yin Chang, who was trained for some

years in the German and (Austrian armies, and has twice been Minister to Berlin. He accompanied the Regent, Prince Chun, on his expiratory mission to Germany. His sympathies are naturally with the country in which he was educated. On the other hand, the sympathies of the bulk of the officers under his command, their instincts and training, are to a marked extent Japanese. More than 700 Chinese officers trained in Japan hold commands in the Chinese army, and there are still SO in the Japan completing their training. Japanese teachers in China itself arc much reduced in number. There were 60; there are at present seven only—namely, one in Canton, one in Wuchang, and five in Paotingfu. There are throe or four German instructors, but no British. Practically all the teaching in the army and in the military schools is in the hands of Chinese, who have been trained in Japan. The

army is modelled on that of Japan. Japanese influence is paramount. Chinese educated in Japan acquire to a surprising degree the Japanese characteristics, especially that of secretiveness. They continue in China the intimate relations formed among themselves when at school in Japan. They are we!! trained as a. rule. It is becoming a saying that unless you are trained in Japan you have little prospect of promotion in the Chinese army. Appointments are now made from “foreign-educated” officers; the old practice of elevating men to high military commands who were Chinese scholars or Imperial favourites, destitute of military training, has been largely abandoned. About JO of the officers have been educated in Clormany, another JO in France, one or two in Belgium, two at West Point

(the brother of Dr. Cli’eii Chiu-tao anti ilio nephew of Won Tsung-yao, the Asoistant-llesidcnt in Tibet), but none in England.