The Apparent
Inconsistencies Of The Chinese Can, In All Likelihood, Be Reconciled.
That
they offer excellent military material when shaped and guided by
foreigners may be pronounced certain.
If they come from the Manchurian
provinces or from Shantung, they are found to be steady, willing to be
taught and amenable to discipline, of splendid physique and able to bear
hardships and cold without a murmur. If from Honan, they exhibit many of
the best characteristics of highland races - courage and loyalty to their
own leader, but they are more difficult to manage, and they are not steady
in any sense of the word. The southern Chinese seem to be held generally
in low esteem, but one should not forget that the best fighters of the
Taeping army were the men from the Canton province, and that, as seamen,
the coast populations of Southern China are unequaled. The western
highlanders, whether Mohammedans or not, are men of good physique, and
would make good fighting material. The Mongolians are horsemen from their
early years, and are suitable for light cavalry of the Cossack type.
Like the Central Asian peoples, the Chinese possess in a high degree the
virtue of passive bravery. At first the Russians, in their contests in
Central Asia, expended much time and wasted many lives in besieging towns.
They acted with caution, throwing up approaches and opening trenches. This
method, however, was presently abandoned for that of open escalade, as,
for instance, at Tashkend, Khojand and Uratapa. Finally, the plan was
adopted of storming breaches, to permit of which breaching batteries would
be thrown up at very close quarters, after which, a favorable time being
chosen, the place would be carried by storm.
Enter page number
PreviousNext
Page 702 of 704
Words from 190709 to 190992
of 191255
