THE CHINESE NAVY AS IT IS'

Bay of Plenty Times, Volume XXII, Issue 3207, 14 December 1894, Page 8

THE CHINESE NAVY AS IT IS.

The Cbefoo correspondent of ' The Times,' writing in May la-t, binted that if it ever came to fighting the Chinese navy would show itself to the world in its true colours — ealen to its very core byc>rruption and peculation ; that many of ita officers were incompetent and others would prove themselves to be cowards, while the bulk of the seamen, if ably led, were capable of wincing great victories. His predictions have been amply veritied by tbe battle of Talu and the subsequent naval engagements. Thus the ' Times ' correspondent : There is still a great hankering after some foreigner, competent to take the place of Captain Lang, but no Western Power could lend an ! officer nor could any officer accre.pt the service except on conditions which the Chinese can never grant. In thp schools a man of character an 4 tact may maintain his position without sacrificing hia dignity or his usefulness. But; it is not easy. In the executive service it is impossible for any foreign officer to gain such authority as would alone enable him to do hiaiself justice. "Whatever language may be used in speeches, letters, or even agreements, the Chinese will never give any foreigner authority in their millitant services. And if anyone were to imagine that he had it the fate of the lay-Osborne flotilla and of Captain Lang would be repeated. But, unfortunately for China, it is precisely in the internal ec<»nomy of the ships, where the foreign director is least tolerated, that he is most needed. No true estimate can be formed of the value of tbe Chinese navy without taking into account that which is hidden from view. The muscles may be all right and yet the viscera diseased. It is rather a wide question, and cannot be put in a nutshell ; but, if one could get at it, tbe eecrtt relations of the offictrs of the navy with each other, would give tbe key to that important problem j How would the Chinese fleet comport itself in face of the enemy? The men are, beyond doubt, splendid material, docile and muscular. Taken from tbe rank* of the poor, and for the fifat time in their lives well I fed, well washed, and well clad, they become transformed in a greater degree than our own bumpkins when drilled and set up. Any mas might be proud to command them. But hare the men rea&on to be proud of their officers ? They see the superiors, from the admiral down to the cabin steward, greatly addicted ito gambling. The highest officers are reported to be lucky ; in fact, a considerable part of the monthly pay is popularly, perhaps jocularly, supposed to circulate in a back current through their fingers. Then # the clan system is still rampar.t. Competent men are shelved in favour of brothers aud nephews with no qualifications. Everybody knows that under the family oystem of China poor relations swarm round eveiy man who gets on, and the navy is no exception. Thsy can by no means be shaken off, and, as they cannot all be supplied with cash, every nerve is strained to provide them with the means of living, no matter at whose expense. Sir Joseph Porter with his cousins whom he reckons up by dozens, would be no burlesque in China. This is one of the lotten places in the Chinese navy. There are others — systematic peculation, the contract system with its division of spoils, the starving of the needs of the service in order to put money into the pockets of the officers, and matters of that sort, winked at by those in authority for good reasons. To the foreign onlooker it seems impossible that either loyalty to the Government or a proper esprit de corps can coexist with these grogs abuses, and it is on such p emises that the expectation of a c llapse in the Chinese Navy is founded.

The Tirtues of eggs.— The egg ia a very useful household remedy, and ag it is one ready to hand it should be more appreciated than it U. For burns and scaldß (which are apt to occur in most kitchens) there is nothing wore soothicg for immediate use than the white of an egg. It makes a skm over the burn, in the same way that collodion does, and is more soothing. In case of burning the great point is excluding the air as much as possible, and to prevent inflammation. As the while of an egg is the best remeHy for this, it should be used at once. A fresh fgg is one of the best remedies for dy&entery. When beatenup lightly and swallowed it tends to soothe the intestines, and gradually lessens the insemination of the 6tomach. Sick people -will often swallow the yolk of an egg with a few drops ot vinegar and a little pepper, ia the satns way they would an oyster, W'l>en they have difficulty in takingnouHßbraent. A rsemie patients find an egg beaten up with milk very nourishing and easy to digest. Tea jelly.— Thia is easily made, and should be popular with those fond of the cheering cup. Soak a box of gclat ne in water enough to dissolve, then pour on one pint of strong tea, and ac'd one cup of white sngar ; stir •nd stiain through a jelly bag into a mold. As soon as cool put on ice to stiffen. Serve with whipped cream. The Customs returns prove beyond contradiction i bat Jjelson, Moate and Co's fine tea ne being appreciated by the majority, for m ppite cf the numerous firms in every part in the Colonies that are copying them, tbe turnover is as large as ever, and the demand ;»o gT*»r.t that they sell more Indian, Gsyon and blended teas than the whole of tihie imports and dealers put togotber in last quarter of t>ic Colony .