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The Soldier's Manual.
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At night they should select some covert, and station sober men as sentinels, to look out and see whether all be quiet abroad, and secretly report what the enemy is doing. Alarm, confusion, and hurry are forbidden, and the watchman is to possess the nice art of so modulat- ing his voice as to make himself heard without much noise, as a loud summons, as well as a gentle whisper, chills the heart of a soldier. The writer seems to be well aware, that a Chinnınan's courage comes on him in fits like an intermittent fever, and may be in the cold stage when ardor and energy arc most needed, and therefore he insists upon the propriety of setting a watch to keep them from deser- tion during the night. This watch should consist of the most trusty men, who are commanded to light fires upon hillocks when near at hand with the view of detecting deserters, and giving timely notice that they may be pursued and taken. Every night the names of all the soldiers should be called over, and the sentinels directed to hail every one within and without the camp; while officers are required to set on foot such investigation as will lead them to find out any negli. gence or dereliction of duty in this respect.
The tenth section advises that men of established character should be sent in groups varying between three and five in number from the camp, with directions to take three or four different routes towards the quarters of the enemy, to ascertain what is going forward and to These spies are to visit the enemy under the pry into his secrets. color of taerchants, or even to feign themselves willing to become It should partners with him, and thus to gain access to his haunts. be remarked that in this section and in several others, the word thief So far are the Chinese and eneiny are used as synonimous terms. from supposing that there is a nation beside their own, which has any wrongs that demand redress, or any rights that ought to be insisted on. Sentiments which might have had some plausible excuse, while sur- rounding tribes were rude and unlettered, but deserve no indulgence when for many years the arts and discoveries of western nations have been bearing upon them in all their august and varied magnificence. But we had forgotten the spies. These are commanded minutely to inform themselves as to the defenses, courage, and intelligence of the enemy. They are instructed to scrutinize everything they hear and The see to the utmost, that they may discriminate truth from error. result of their inquiries they are not to report hastily, but make out à distinct statement on their return to the camp. All questions arising out of such a statement are to be asked in private, not in the presence of the soldiers generally, lest by premature disclosures the objects of
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