ORIENTAL STRATEGY.

Auckland Star, Volume XLVIII, Issue 299, 15 December 1917, Page 19

ORIENTAL STRATEGY.

During the war between China ana Japan ln ISO 4 Viceroy Lin Kun-yi issued a proclamation offering a reward to anyone who could suggest a plan for destroying the enemy fleet. The prize was won by an oi. literary gentleman who suggested that a large number of pigs' bladders should be procured and blown up tight. Then, when the wind was blowing off shore towards the fleet, these should be put ln the water and the enemy would mistake them for the heads ot Chinese soldiers swimming out to attack, and would open fire with all their guns. When all their ammunition was fired away the Chinese could then go out In boats and. secure possession of the vessels without loss. To the foreign mind it sounded very tunny, but It -was quite a classical scheme. During the Three Kingdom times the city of Hwangchow was being besieged by a hero who had clean run out of arrows. He thereupon manned a fleet of boats with straw men, and sent them under the walls at night, when the defenders shot them full of arrows. In this ! way he replenished his own magazine and depleted that of his opponents, thus cap- | turin. the city easily.