11 
Two years after its foundation, this arsenal employed 2,500 men with steam 
engines and lathes. In 1874, when an expedition to Formosa was undertaken, 
the number of men rose to 4,000. 
The Emperor and Empress both came successively to visit the arsenal. The 
Emperor was especially astonished at the chasing of the metal friction tubes. As 
for the Empress, who was barely 20, the classic experiments on combustion in 
oxygen and on detonating mixture's were carried out to her great delight. Doubt¬ 
less this was her first and last lesson in chemistry. 
4. —An artillery range was established at 1 2 leagues from Yedo. The artillery 
soon had good layers for the same reasons as the infantry. Japanese officers soon 
regulate their fire with precision, method and coolness being their governing 
qualities. The range was inaugurated officially in 1878 by the Mikado’s uncle. 
He was present at service practice against infantry formations and field-works, at 
night firing and at fireworks. What impressed him most was the record of initial 
velocities by the Le Boulange chronograph. 
5. A gunpowder factory was set up in the environs of Yedo. 
6. Numerous barracks were constructed of which one feature deserves mention: 
arrangements are made so that each man may every day have a hot bath at a 
temperature of about 104° Falir. Every Japanese, even the poorest, takes daily 
a bath, or at least washes himself, with water as hot as he can bear. In the 
smallest villages in the evening the poor families swarm helter-skelter into the 
public baths, and every one receives for an insignificant sum a bucketful of boil¬ 
ing water. Taking into consideration the humidity of the climate and the rice- 
fields among which they live, it is possible that this violent reaction which draws 
the blood to the skin may be very salutary. In any case the Japanese think it 
indispensable. 
A great military school to supply officers of-all arms was inaugurated in 1875. 
The cadets, members for the most part of old Samourai families, showed from 
the first a keen desire for instruction and a good military spirit. 110 of them 
were sent to the field of operations to fill up vacancies in the Imperial army when 
opposed to the rebels under Marshal Saigo. Of these 110 young men under 20 
years of age. 32 were killed and 35 wounded—-eloquent figures which testify to 
the bravery, as of yore, which is still the honour of the Samourais. 
Finally the French mission was called upon in 1874 to establish a plan of de¬ 
fence for the coasts of Japan. At that time war was.on the point of breaking 
out between China and Japan. Japan had sent an expeditionary corps to occupy 
Formosa to avenge, they said, the massacre of Japanese sailors. But there is 
reason to believe that it was principally to get rid of some of the discontented 
old Samourais, whom they would gladly see colonize Formosa. China expressed 
her displeasure, and peace was only secured after long parleying. Many Samour¬ 
ais, who henceforward desired war with China, did not pardon the Japanese am¬ 
bassador the pacific solution, and landing at Yokohama on his return from Pekin 
he was the object of an attempted assassination. 
It may be said generally that the coasts of Japan lend themselves particularly 
to a good defence, for they are usually steep and inaccessible; the number of 
points to fortify, that is, where fleets can find shelter, is relatively small. It is 
easy therefore to concentrate at these points efficient means of defence. On the 
other hand if an army succeeded, notwithstanding difficulties, in landing elsewhere 
it would find neither provisions nor roads, but an extremely difficult mountainous 
country. Finally the victualling of a landed army from the sea would be contin¬ 
gent on the typhoons or cyclones which make these coasts so dangerous. 
There remains only to speak of the military spirit which animates the new 
army. We have already seen byjffie conduct of the 110 cadets that the bravery 
