ACCOUNT BY A NAVAL OFFICER.

Auckland Star, Volume XXVI, Issue 6, 8 January 1895, Page 2

ACCOUNT BY A NAVAL OFFICER.

500 BRITISH MARINES SENT TO

PEKIN.

COWARDICE OF CHINESE TROOPS.

A WAR BETWEEN BARBARIANS

AND CIVILISED MEN.

Another naval officer had a chat with a reporter on Saturday aboard the Crescent, and in the course of the conversation said :—

Of course I cannot tell you all the reasons that prompted the Admiralty to order the Crescent to Corea ; but it was generally understood that her duty was to look after the interests of British residents in China. You see, the Japanese commander bad landed troops near Port Arthur, and had expressed bis intention of marching on Pekin, where there are a creab many British residents. The Chinese troops, under bhe command of General yon Hannekin, a skilled German officer, oughb, no doubb, to have been equal to preventing anything of the kind; but the Japanese had proved themselves so superior at every point that it was considered advisable to be prepared for any emergency. Accordingly, we landed 500 marines, under the command of Major Milne, and marched them to Pekin, wnere they still are.

And is that force sufficient I —Oh, yea ; 500 British sailors go a long way, and besides, reinforcements are ab hand from the squadron, Did you see any of the Chinese and Japanese sailors, and form any opinion of their relative fighting merits ?—Yes, and they do nob bear much comparison. Ib is a contest) between barbarians and civilised and trained men. The Chinese are quite undisciplined, savage and cowardly in the bargain, whilst the Japanese are thoroughly under control, and, &3 events have once more shown, since the Crescent lefb Corea, full of the best kind of fighting qualities. In the Chinese ranks the most chaotic nations of duty prevail; the elementary principle of war", obedience to superior orders, is almosb unknown. The Japanese, on the other hand, are almosb equal to European sailors in this,, respect. Their officers have all been trained and educated in England, and are intelligent, reliable, good sorb of fellows. The landing of troops at Port Arthur was a naval and military success fchat any European commander might have been proud of; It was done quickly and with great foresight and strategy. The Japanese squadron consists of aboub 27 ships in all, including men-af-war, torpedo and gun boats, and though numerically small the force is in a very efficient state for the reasons that I have given.

You have beard of the fall of Porb Arthur I —Yes, and I am nob altogether surprised, though, if the Chinese had stuck to their guns the place was practically impregnable. General yon Hannekin is an artilleryist of renown, and he bad fortified the place bo that with a garrison of any account at all it should have been safe. We could realise that the seaward defences were very strong, and were told thab the landward fortifications were equally as good, whilab it was said that there were unlimited supplies- and resources for the garrison. But, of course, if a defending party won't fight, all the fortifications and advantages of position in the world are of little avail. With any bub the Chinese Port Arthur ought to have held out for six months. And are the Chinese so utterly demoralised ?—I don'b think the reports of their cowardice have been at all exaggerated. You could not get a better example of the spirit thab pervades the whole army than that offered in the conduct of Admiral Cheng. After he was landed ab Porb Arthur to garrison and protect the place, his fleet pub out to aea again, whereat he expressed deep regreb, remarking that this cub oif his only means of escape ! Afterwards, I think, he did actually make his escape before the fighting commenced, but was pursued and captured. He was given the option of going back to Porb Arthur or having his head cut off wibhout more ado. This decision exactly paraphrased the quotation. He believed thab it was bebber to fly to the ills that he knew nob than face those thab were imminent), and so returned to "defend " Porb Arbhur.

I And is Russia, ori Russia and France combined, preparing for anything very unusual in Chinese waters ?—Well, they are increasing their naval strength. Of course, one does nob require to be an extremely gifted statesman to realise that it is highly important to Russia to see bhab no radical alteration of the map in this quarter of the world takes place, or, if it doea, to see bhao it shall nob take place without her full knowledge and participation. China is the game sort of " buffer" State for Russia as Afghanistan is for England'and India. It would not, it may be presumed, Buit Russia's policy to have any other nation but the Chinese obtain a footing on Chinese territory ; and, of course, this would actually be the case if Japan obtained Corea. If any other nation—say a European Power — gob Corea it would be equally distasteful, one may imagine, to Russia, for, whoever had it, ib would form a base of operations—coaling station, arsenal, and depot—that might be very useful in time of war. And for precisely the same reasons, I Buppose, other Powers may be inclined to wacch Russia's movements with a jealous eye, Beyond the advantages of having a base in the Pacific, which, however, would be considerable enough in time of war, I fail to see how Russia would gain by the accession of Corea. No. I don'b think^it would help her much in an abback on Australia, supposing such a thing were ever contemplated. Certainly, ib would bring her within easier reach; bub then the English squadron in the Pacific would always be as near, and it may be pormifcted to hope thab Russia could never spare more ships ab one time than England. As for what has been called French'"activity,"! don't know that tbra

is unusual. No doubb France reinforces her fleet for the same, reason as.. England does—to look after the safety of her subjects in those parts. We heard a good many undoubtedly true stories of Chinese barbarity—the disembowelling and crucifixion of prisoners, and the mutilation of the dead.