Directory_and_Chronicle_1881 — Page 285

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CHINA.

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thinned the population, and there is reason to believe that the estimates above given considerably exaggerate the number of the Chinese race.

According to a return of the Imperial customs authorities, the total number of foreigners in China was 3,817 at the end of 1877. Among them were 1,851 natives of Great Britain and Ireland, 383 of the United States, 353 of Germany, and 176 of France, all other nationalities being represented by very few members. More than one-half of the total number of foreigners resided at Shanghai, the remainder being scattered over the other ports open to foreign commerce.

In addition to China proper there are its dependencies. These chiefly consist of Mongolia, with an area of 1,288,035 square miles, with some 2,000,000 people; and Manchuria, with an area of 362,313 square miles, and a population of 3,000,000. The latter is being steadily and rapidly colonised by Chinese, who will soon outnumber the Manchus in their own land. Thibet, which is also practically a dependency of China, has an area of 643,734 square miles and a population of 6,000,000 souls. It is ruled by the Dalai Lama, but subject to the Government of Peking.

Of all the numerous Kingdoms that formerly acknowledged the suzerainty of the Dragon Throne and paid tribute to the Emperor, Corea is the only one that still yields willing allegiance. The Chinese Government has, however, no control over the internal affairs of Corea, and does not attempt to direct her foreign policy. Of this a practical proof was given when the Japanese Government compelled the King of that country to conclude a treaty with them by which three ports of Corea were opened to Japanese trade. The area of Corea is 90,300 square miles, and the population is variously estimated from 8,000,000 to 10,000,000.

ARMY AND NAVY.

The standing military force of China consists of two great divisions, the first formed by the more immediate subjects of the ruling dynasty, the Tartars, and the second by the Chinese and other subject races. The first, the main force upon which the Imperial government can rely, form the so-called troops of the Eight Banners, and garrison all the great cities, but so as to be separated by walls and forts from the population. According to the latest reports, the Imperial army comprises a total of 850,000 men, including 678 companies of Tartar troops, 211 companies of Mongols, and native Chinese infantry, a kind of militia, numbering 120,000 men. The native soldiers do not live in barracks, but in their own houses, mostly pursuing some civil occupation.

The Chinese navy is in process of formation. It consists mainly of small gun- boats built at the Mamoi Arsenal, Foochow, and at Shanghai, on the foreign model, and the entire navy is manned by 5,725 sailors and carries 260 guns. Included in these are the revenue cruisers, several of which were built in England. The principal vessel in point of size is the Yung Woo, a composite corvette, 11 guns, but this is said to be an unwieldy and unserviceable craft. The most formidable vessels possessed by China unquestionably are the eight gunboats named after the letters of the Greek alphabet from Alpha to Theta. The first four are 118 feet 6 inches long, with a draught of 7 feet 6 inches, and a displacement of 400 tons. They each carry a 27-ton gun. The latter four, which arrived in China in October, 1879, are built of steel, and are double-ended, the stern lines being exactly after the model of the bow rudders. By this improvement they can be used either as stern racers or bow chasers, and the extreme fineness of the run enables them to steam backward almost as rapidly as forward. They measure 127 feet in extreme length and 125 feet at the water line, with 29 feet beam, a depth of 12 feet 3 inches, mean draught of 9 feet 6 inches, and a displacement of 440 tons. The main feature of these boats, however, is the 11-inch 35-ton muzzle-loading gun carried by each, which has a penetrative power 15 per cent. over the most formidable guns at present in the British navy, They are further armed with two 12-pounder breach-loading Armstrong guns and four Gatlings. These boats are specially intended for coast and river defence, for which they are eminently suitable. They were built on the Tyne by the Elswick Company.

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