368 EiSUME. 



the Woolwich or Elswick guns. Much larger guns 

 150-pounders, have also been with equal success manu- 

 factured there. And as regards their small arms and 

 torpedos, they have the latest and best patterns. Steam- 

 ships have been built, and gun-boats purchased. The 

 latter particularly are most formidable little vessels. 



SufiS.ce it to say, very great progress has been made 

 in their arms since the last war in 1860. I remember 

 how amused we used to be watching some half-dozen 

 braves sneaking up behind cover to have a quiet pot 

 shot with their absurd rockets fired from a bamboo 

 tube. The things, certainly, if they managed to hit, 

 might prove fatal, but it had to be at very close 

 quarters; and at a hundred yards or so, it was easy 

 enough to get out of their way, as they skipped along 

 towards you. The first breech-loading gun I ever saw 

 was in the shape of a jingall in China. The whole 

 breech came out, was loaded and replaced, the arrange- 

 ment being both perfectly effective and simple. As to 

 pluck, I have previously said, I consider the Chinese 

 have sometimes shown themselves to be by no means 

 devoid of that element. 



I think, considering the conditions under which the 

 Chinese fought us, and the immense disparity of arms, 

 that they showed great pluck in fighting us at all. 



