TRAINING OF CHINESE CADETS

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 9663, 30 November 1909, Page 7

TRAINING OF CHINESE CADETS

The Chinese Board of War has determined that the navy shall be restored within eight years. For this purpose the "naval area'' is to be divided into three parts—Peyang in the north, Kwangtung in the South, and Nanyang in the central. The is to be commenced at once, ana Tong Shao Ye, ex-Gover-nor of Manchuria, who recently left Pekian for America on a mission to thank America for its action in returning the indemnity of £2,000,Gu0 in connection with the Boxer troubles, has been authorised to en? gage the best naval experts available. It is stated that there is every likelihood of America- sercuring the con-1 tract for the building of China's j first modern battleship. The Government has Deen petitioned to devote 15,000,000 dollars for the equipment ] of the navy. Chinese cadets are now being sent from the military colleges of Paoting Fu, Nanking, and Wuchang to undergo complete military training in France, the course being arranged to extend over a period of five and a half years. Special facilities are to be granted by the French Government, and all the expenses are to be defrayed hy the Chinese Ministry of War. The allowance for each student is fixed at 2000 francs yearly. Steps are being taken to see whether the British Government might not assist in the movement by allowing a similar body of Chinese st'idents to study in Great Britain.