{"id":12194,"date":"2020-06-24T22:20:23","date_gmt":"2020-06-25T03:20:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/surplused.com\/?p=12194"},"modified":"2021-03-03T09:34:19","modified_gmt":"2021-03-03T15:34:19","slug":"the-manchu-arisaka","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/surplused.com\/index.php\/2020\/06\/24\/the-manchu-arisaka\/","title":{"rendered":"The Manchu Arisaka"},"content":{"rendered":"

The cover pciture is the ring marking of a rare \u201cKuangthsu 29th<\/sup> year made\u201d carbine<\/em><\/p>\n

How do we name it?<\/strong><\/p>\n

American collectors named some Tokyo Artillery Arsenal Type 30 rifles as Manchu Arisakas after its unique Chinese characters and imperial dragon crest. Chinese simply refer these rifles as \u201cKuangthsu 29th year made\u201d rifles. Like many other imported weapons during Imperial Qing era, no official designations had never been assigned to them. In imperial official documents, imported Type 30 rifles are referred as \u201c6.5 m\/m Caliber Five shots repeating infantry rifle\u201d or referred as \u201c29th year made\u201d rifle and \u201c31th year made\u201d rifle. The manufacturer named Type 30 rifles and carbines specialized to China after the first letter of \u201cChina\u201d. The term \u201cType C rifle\u201d and \u201cType C carbine\u201d were used in contracts and records of Ministry of Army. The same rule also applied to the rifles, Type S rifle, which Japan made and exported to Siamese.<\/p>\n

A brief introduction of imports of Japanese Type 30 to China<\/strong><\/p>\n

As early as in 1899 (Emperor Kuangthsu Year 25th), Japanese Ministry of Army sent Type 30 rifle as gift to The Governors-General of Liangjiang. In 1901, Governors-General of Zhili, General Yuan Shikai, had an intention to purchase Type 30 rifles. The contract was believed never been made considering the 1901-1903 foreign arms embargo.<\/p>\n

Since 1903, several provincial government, including Sichuan, Guangdong, Hubei and Jiangsu, purchased substantial amount of Japanese Type 30 and outdated Murata rifles through Japanese arms dealer, Chinese Embassy in Japan and some special commissioners. At this time, most of orders were handled by three Japanese distributors, Takata, Mitsui and Okura. In 1908 (Japan Emperor Meiji Year 41), three agents together established Taihei Union, a syndicate to handle Japanese weaponry exportation, which under control of Ministry of Army. Estimated, from 1903 to 1907 Japan sold around 90000 to 100000 Type 30 rifles and carbines to China via Takata, Mitsui and Okura.<\/p>\n

The origin of \u201cManchu Arisaka\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n

The majority of \u201cManchu Arisakas\u201d were order by General Yuan for his Imperial Army. On July 18 1903, Commander of Japanese China Garrison Army, General Senba Tar\u014d, reported that General Yuan was intending to order 10000 rifles to arm his army, and he would choose German arms if Japan couldn\u2019t fill the demands. I do not have details of how did Japanese win the contract, the known fact is Takata, Mitsui and Okura shared the contract together. This contract consists of small arms, artilleries and soldier individual equipment.<\/p>\n

General Yuan reported on January 31 1904 that he had signed a contract with Mitsui-Okura to purchase Type 30 rifles and carbines and Type 31 field guns in October 1903. Orders of rifles and carbines valued in 1.07 million Yen. Details are listed below:<\/p>\n