WHAT QUONG TART SAYS.

Mr Quong Tart who may be accepted as the most infiuential of Australasian Chinamen - in a recent interview, gave some interesting: information concerning the present military Strength of the Celestial Empire. "There is," he said, in Pekin alone a field force of about 50,000 men. In addition there are in the capital -the Powerful Tigers,which has an active strength of 1o,ooo men, and also the Imperial Guard, which consists of between I ,ooo and 2,ooo soldiers. These forces are under the direct control of the Imperial authorities. They include cavalry, foot, and artillery divisions. These soldiers have been trained by European -oflicers, and can immediate ly take the field in regular order. They are equipped with the latest weapons and munitions of .war. Since the re cent Japanese war China has learned the necessity of military progress. When the war was entered upon the Imperial authorities never dreamed that a hand ful of Japanese could offer a lasting re sistance, and they were dismayed to discover that Japan, by its progressive instincts, had attained such command over the principles of modern warfare. The Chinese are imitative to the last degree, and finding themselves worsted, prompt steps were taken to repair their deficiencies. Like the Boers, they obtained from Europe the latest and best of warlike material, and their operations, though carried out secretly, were successful. "Vice - Admiral E. H. Seymour's cabled report stated that the armory he captured contained guns of the latest pattern and also up-to-date ammuni tion. The people of China are entirely friendly, towards the British. I have business relations with many representative Chinese merchants, and from the general tone of their communications 1 am satisfied that Chinese feeling leans towards Britain rather than to wards any other Power. It is the belief of the educated Chinese that a better understanding will be arrived at between China and the people of the West. The Chinese feel keenly the restrictions placed upon them by English-speaking communities in various parts of the world, but the more enlightened look forward to the time when the avenues of commerce willbe thrown open to a very much greater extent, and when Englishmen and Chinamen will mutually find advantage from. a closer relationship. "The-origin of the secret society now known as the Boxers is peculiarly Oriental. It is the outcome of the troubles which have beset China during the last few years. The Chinese are conservative to the backbone. Their reverence for their parents, for old time institutions and observances,- and for religious tradition is extreme. If a man were to build a particularly high house or a new bridge, or. alter the fea ttures' of the. landscape in any marked degree, that act might -be regarded by the ignoratnt and -superstitious peasants as .a cause for revolt.. It was a protest against impious interferences with na ture that tlihe- 'Boxer' :-Society had its origin. The people have been discontented, and they have seen, in certain foreign concessions, new works which they could " not understand. Railways have been -constructed, and hills, which were landmarks from time 'immemorial have been Cut: through, whilst valleys, equally prized as mementoes of their forefathers, are traversed by uxigairily emnbankments. All these innovations are regarded by the.un educated Chineses objectionable,and of ill-omen. To suggest that anything is unlucky is sufficient to arouse Chinese indignation and wrath. They are desperately superstitious, and all these new enterprises have been viewed with alarm .In this state of public feeling agitators found welcome and congenial soil for development Mob orators quickly made their appearance, and by: unieasuried condemnation of the foreigner,- Who, they said, were hastening the ruin o f the country~ , enlisted the sympathiies-of the people, and put the whole country in a blaze. These prophets-of evil declared that Such was the rightousness of their cause that the missiles-of the foreign devil couild by no chance injure the Chinese patriots. The Boxers probably are merely armed with swords or pikes, and few have rifles. the use of which they would not the Soughly understand The numbers cf these rebels are practically countless, and warlike munitions can be placed at their disposal in immense quantities." Thursday 9 August 1900 Kalgoorlie Western Argus (WA)