Suggestion They Would Be Mistaken for Chinese Heads in Water Won Prize as Best Idea.
    During the war between China and Japan in 1894 Viceroy Liu kun-yi issued a proclamation offering a reward to any one who could suggest a plan for destroying the enemy fleet. The prize was won by an old literary gentleman who suggested that a large number of pig’s bladders should be procured and blown up tight. Then, when the wind was blowing off shore towards the fleet, these should be put in the water and the enemy would mistake them for the heads of Chinese soldiers swimming out to attack, and would open fire with all their guns. When all their ammunition was fired away the Chinese could then go out in boats and secure possession of the vessels without loss. To the foreign mind it sounded very funny, but it was quite a classical scheme.
    During the Three Kingdom times the city of Hwangchow was being besieged by a hero who had clean run out of arrows. He thereupon manned a fleet of boats with straw men, and sent them under the walls at night when the defenders shot them full of arrows. In this way he replenished his own magazine and depleted that of his opponents, thus capturing the city easily.
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