THE RISING IN CHINA.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXI, Issue 58, 23 October 1911, Page 8

THE RISING IN CHINA.

RECENT VISITOR'S OPINION. TEN YEARS’ PREPARATION. CHINESE MAKE FIRSTCLASS' SOLDIERS. Colonel G. W. S. Patterson, who Las made eight visits to China during the last ten years, was seen by a representative, of the Auckland “Star” recently witli respect to the revolt against the Mancnus.' “The admirable loader in your issue of Saturday,” remarked Colonel Patterson, “very lucidly puts the position. Of course 1 have been over there several times, and know that as far back as ten years ago were preparing for this revolt. From niy own personal observations 1 am inclined that they havo started too soon, but at the same time they have begun in an excellent position. They made a similar attempt in 190 u, but were put down .because they were not properly organised. There is in China a secret order for the overthrowing, of tiic Manchu dynasty.”

“Yes, I have read of it; I fancy it was called tho Vi bite Rose, and the membership was then estimated at 30,000,000.”' ‘ “That, number is far under the actual figures from what I could learn,” answered Colonel Patterson'. “Iho whole country is honeycombed with the fooling to overthrow tho Manchu rulers, and from what I could learn the same feeling also pretty well prevails in the Imperial Army. It is something like the Jacobite societies that existed in Great Britain for so many years after the Stuarts were driven off tho Throne. You will remember tho Taiping rebellion. That had the same object, and it was the British General Gordon who had a good deal to do with suppressing the revolt, but not until it nad been going for fourteen years. The Chinese are taxed so much that tiie struggle to live has become so keen and the people are ready to revolt, feeling sure that things cannot oo worse. Probably the fact that the rice-crop is so very light ail over tho East tliis season has precipitated the revolt as tho price has now reached a record figure. China is a very rich country, Put wants proper governing.” “How about the Chinese as a soldier r’

“Ever sjuco the Japanese war with China some 20 years ago tho Chinese iiavo been picking the best non-com-missioned officers from foreign countries to train their troops. When i was over there 1 saw German, Swiss and Englishmen training tlipse men, and I' can assure you that Chinese make first-class soldiers. As a people they have the greatest endurance of any living man, for they can go longer on scanty food than any one else. When I went inland 2000 miles, four coolies carried me, and would go for eight hours without rest or food. Such men when trained must make excellent soldiers. Chinese students have been studying Western methods, both in England, on the Continent, and also in tho United States. 'The cutting off of the pigtails is largely due to tho protests from those students who have returned home, but with the poorer class it may encourage revolt, as that was imposed as a mark of servitude by the Manchus mine 250 years ago.” “You remarked just now, Colonel, that the strategic position secured by tho rebels was well chosen?”

“Yes; and for this reason: Wu Chang is on the opposite side of the river from Hankan. There is a good fort at Wu Chang, with modern 9.2 guns. Those wore pointed across the river at the “Bund,” where the foreign residents are located. When I was there we always had an unpleasant feeling that in the event of trouble tho foreign quarter would he smashed to bits by those big guns. I witnessed the men under drill, and can say 1 never saw gnus more smartly handled. They were under instruction by a German artillery officer, but understood all English words of command as I found when 1 took charge of a company at tho request of tho officer. As to importance of securing Wu Chang I may point out that it is 612 miles from the sea at the junction of tho Yangtze and the Han rivers. At that junction is a large steels works employing 3600 hands, managed by a Chinese; in fact, the only foreigners are four draughtsmen. They make tho rails there for the Chinese railways, and have even been exporting them to the United States. There is also a big arsenal near there, which the rebels will no doubt have secured, having got Wu Chang. Another place the rebels have captured is at the rapids, or tho highest point to which steamers can go, called Chung Kuang. I see they are sending 10,000 troops from Pekin, hut tho railway has been destroyed, and oven when the soldiers arrive I should not ho surprised to see them join the rebels. IF only the rebels are fully prepared this will bo a big war.’ ’