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ammunition, together with his equipment of blankets and waterproof, which weighed about 50 lb. They marched smartly in four companies, with bugles and drums: discipline was excellent throughout the march: the colonel and three other officers and the clerical staff rode, but the non-commissioned officers walked with the men.
Transport.
The transport for 530 men consisted of 47 mules, 30 of which carried the tents and kit, whilst 17 were loaded with ammunition; there were no guns. With camp followers and muleteers the party comprised about 600 men, and all camped at night. The men wore blue native cloth kit with socks and grass sandals, and arrived looking quite fresh. Eight armourers with portable forges accompanied the party.
On arrival at Tengyueh they were quartered in the forts outside the city, built about four years ago, but they promptly branded this accommodation as a “pig-sty," and the next day took possession of the Merchant Guild, the best building in the place, much to the indignation of the local officials and gentry. The behaviour of the troops, indeed, has provoked a good deal of comment, as they will give way to no one in the street and are very over-bearing in manner, nor is the recent incident forgotten when the Prefect of Talifu, meeting them on a narrow road, was deposited in a ditch with his sedan-chair on top of him.
They are commanded by Colonel Tu Fang La (known in the new army as a "Tung-tai" or "Piao-tung"), whom Captain Pritchard met. He has not called on any foreigner here, so I have had no opportunity of hearing his views on the situation. The taotai hinted very plainly that he considered him an "unbearable puppy,"
"but these new troops do not fit very smoothly into the Chinese scheme of things, and there is a good deal of jealousy amongst the civil officers and the old military party on account of their regular pay and many privileges. The usual pay of the men is increased by 1 tael (2 rupees) a-month whilst on special service, but this will conse as soon as they receive instructions to remain permanently at Tengyueh; when actually on the march, each man receives 2 mace a-day for food, bringing his pay and allowances up to about 22 rupees a-month. The men and officers are generally bright-looking lads and are evidently very keen; they sing daily and well, but they are too busy surveying the city and the consulate---which does not appear to present any marked strategical points-to be much worried about drills. It is not yet known whether they will remain in Tengyuch, but I think that a permanent garrison of modern troops is now probable.
Should an opportunity occur it would, I think, be a sound thing for a British officer to gather some idea of the Chinese activity both in the Sip Song Panna and the district about A-tun-tze and Likiang, though a journey to either district would be difficult for an officer who did not understand Chinese, and who was unaccustomed to the tribesmen of the frontier. Captain Pritchard made a very good impression on the Chinese during his tour in the summer; they liked his bluff, genial way, and they have grown accustomed to him at the frontier meetings. Should an officer be needed for Yunnan I think he would be very suitable. I would again suggest, too, the advantage to officers in the military police of spending three months' language leave in Tongyueh, where they have opportunities of learning the manners and customs of the country, which are almost as useful as the actual language. I have noticed that those officers who have actually been in China can always make themselves understood in simple ways, and that they have a good, practical grounding in the language, which it appears to be difficult to acquire in Burma.
Transport in Upper Burmah,
One other point which is worthy of consideration by the military authorities is the question of transport in Upper Burmah, A considerable number of Yunnanese mules are used every year for the ordinary district work, but the engagement of 2,000 animals during the present season for the Myitkyina column was sufficient to cause a marked effect on the supply available from the frontier districts. The mules were fortunately engaged this year through the Tengyuch firm of Chun Yen-chi, which is the strongest and best established house in the Yunnan side of the frontier, and is well backed by the entire Merchant Guild, but even so, it has required all my efforts to keep the head of the firm from imprisonment, and from the embarassments which the local officials have constantly endeavoured to bring home to him, in spite of the fact that he had no knowledge that the mules would be used for purposes
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