R.J.R.,
Thanks again for posting pics from your collection, most interesting! Mayhaps you should make an 'educational and historical' publication of all your collection under the 'fair use' and 'safe harbor' concept for use only by GAF members as these are all surely way out of copyright? Ah, well, just a thought.
Anyway, other observations...
The pic of the three Japanese Mil-folk standing next to a wall of longarms prompts a couple of comments. First off, it appears that these are all 'captured' items from the final conflict. As such, we see a long-tubed horn used by the Boxers to blare atonal sounds to frighten the locals and Legation Troops, it is seen leaning up against the stack of rifles in the lower right part of the wall with the bell on the ground, being a former player of horns it caught my attention right away and especially since I was already aware of the use of same in the Boxer Rebellion. We also see five long and oversized m/l's similar to the fabled '3 man guns' used by the Boxers. Today we would look at them and say they are similar to 'punt guns' but back then then they were made and used to shoot large roundballs, round stones, small chain or large uneven lead balls, as in canister shot of the day. It was a most impressive firearm and probably not very reliable if it took three men to carry, load and shoot it. As a young boy in a small country School in Iowa we went on 'field trips' to the biggest town around and toured museums and suchlike once a year. I recall going to the Grand Lodge of Iowa Masonic Library & Museum in Cedar Rapids, Iowa in the early 1960's and seeing one of the '3 man guns' on display in the public portion of the museum. It was a masive piece and larger than the ones shown in that pic but similar in design and length. It makes one wonder who on the 3-man crew would shoulder the firearm and touch it off! Volunteers? I don't think so!
Another firearm of interest is that seen in the pic of the three Italian Troopers, it appears to be a smaller Carbine on a sling that somehow goes over and under the cloak they wear, quite impressive. Are they wearing a dress uniform of sorts? The horses look much like the Chinese mounts we have seen in use in Mongolia, short and solid, perhaps that is all that was available to the Italians on arrival.
Best regards and keep the pics coming!
'Ol Gabe, thinking that in a former life I must have surely passed through there before someone was quoted as saying..."Damn the legations!"