Aritomo YAMAGATA once worked under SAIGO to found Goshinpei and the Army Ministry, but on the other hand, cooperated with Iwao OYAMA of the Satsuma clique in transferring the production equipment of Snider Ammunition from Kagoshima, which made Kagoshima Shigakko students angry; as such, the Choshu clique took advantage of the struggle between SAIGO and OYAMA within the Satsuma clique.
山県有朋もかつて西郷のもとで御親兵・陸軍省創設のために働いており、鹿児島私学校徒を激昂させた鹿児島スナイドル弾薬製造設備の搬出では薩摩閥の大山巌に協力するなど、薩摩閥内部の西郷vs大久保の争いに長州閥が便乗する構図となっていた。