| Show new evance of a greater world power peking oct 30 tho army maneuvers aich have just been completed greatly impressed foreigners especially those acquainted with the condition of chinese troops five years ago the opinion expressed on all sides Is that china has accomplished an absolutely marvelous feat in raising an army of men to its present efficiency the foreign military attaches criticized criticised the generalship displayed for instance the absence of proper support for the artillery which they thought was placed but they gave unstinted praise for the complete control of tho troops and the steadiness of discipline exhibited the latter bearing comparison with that of european troop an observer while riding behind some of the troops lying in cover noticed that not a man turned bis head from attention to his I 1 work complete e prevailed everywhere the march past the reviewing I 1 officers waa abandoned owing to a failous dust storm after waiting for three hours the visitors left the ground yet every regiment still remained the ranks being in perfect or der the scheme of the maneuvers was the assumed invasion of shan IH lel by a southern force from shan hungt whose advance was opposed by the northern army roughly estimated men were engaged the final parade showed infantry 1200 cavalry 1100 engineers 1300 artillery and guns the infantry were armed wah mauser magazine rifles of the 1888 pattern with a short dagger bayonet many having been made at the han yang arsenal tho of ficera carried a sword a revolver and a held glass the mens kits weighed 64 pounds each the being of japanese pattern the pioneers carried picks shovels and saws every one being in full marching order the cavalry were armed with mauser carbines and swords the officers carrying revolvers they were mounted on mongolian ponies which though small were la good condition the and were bad and the men had no spurs this is regarded by the military observers as tha branch of the army being unsuitable for work cither as cavalry or mounted infantry the artillery consisted of field and mountain guns the northern side had 24 japanese 75 millimeter gun twelve kropp guna ot th same caliber eight krupp mountain guns and 12 japanese mountain guns the ammunition was carried on mule back the guns were served excellently tho being brought up and without contusion the officers who sighted the guns and the artillery men were armed with swords and revolvers vol vers no signaling apparatus with corps was observed and thero were few am bulan the commissariat of each regiment included 32 wagons the harness being of german pattern and badly made rations consisted of one and a half of rice six ounces of cabbage alx lx ounces of salted vegetables six ounces of meat the kit wa serviceable the mens ques were tucked under caps the foreigners who witnessed tho maneuvers ww tue bests of vicroy yuan kal and ere lavishly entertained the troops gave many evidences of japanese training aud one remarked that he had seen twenty japanese in chinese uniforms |
