The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1858-12-09
BALTIMORE.
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 9. 1853.

IL
Steam and electricity are playing sad havoc
with old Romance We shall have no more trav
eers tales, like those of Sir JOHN Vaudeville and
Marco PoLo. Distance no longer "lends enchant
sment to the view" We are becoming neighbors
70 the antipodes. The half lights in which far
off regions were once seen, are rapidly broaden
inc into the glare of noon day. The prickly pear
and the tropical palm, are becoming as familiarity
known to adventures from the temperate zone as
the chestnut and the oak. There are European
accommodations for man and beast in the
desert, between Cairo and Suez. On the banks
of the Nile, above the second cataract, SMITH,
JONES and THOMPSON smoke their atakia, and
drink to absent friends in Allsop's Pale Ale The
umbrella and the macintosh have been seen
the Hmalaya mountains. Among the rugged
passes of the Andes, Lieutenant STRAIN encOun-
tered an agent for Brandreth's pills. Nearly all
the vast interior of the continent of Africa which
was set down by ancient geographers as terra
incoqnita is becoming filled up Oh the maps, with
the names of populous nations Where were sup
posed to be nothing but arid sands, wide stretches
of fertile territory have been discovered, and to
BARTH, and OvERwEG, and ANDERsENN, and LIv-
1yssToNE, we owe the knowledge of lakes Tschad
and Ngami, and the great navigable river, the
Zambesi In Eastern Asia, paddle-wheel steamers
now regularly ply all along the coast of the Flow
erv Kingdom, from the sea Of Ochotsk southwark
10 the Gulf Tonquin. The Empires of China and
Japan have been opened up to commerce, and in
spite of the Netherlanders of Java and Sumatra
keen-eved and observant American traders have
exchanged commodities with the inhabitants of
the thousand islands of Oceanica. We are now
about to acquire knowledge of another Empire
in Southern ASIA whose system of non-intercouIse
with foreigners has, for many years, been more
ripidlv enforced than that of China or Japan.
Where the Chinese coast, south of Canton, is pro-
longed into a narrow peninsula, opposite to the
island of Hainan and, after curving inward upon
itself to form the Gulf of Tonquin, reverses the
curve, and sweeps southwark through thirteen
degrees of latitude, lies the Empire of AMMAN,
which was once tributary to China, but which is
now virtually Independent. This Empire was
established somewhere about the beginning
of the present century, and is composed Of
the old kingdoms of Cochin-China, Ton
quin, Cambodia, Chiampa, Boatan, and part
of Laos. Its area has been estimated at two
hundred and eighty thousand square miles, and
the extent of its population-an admixture of Ma
laws and Chinese-at twelve millions. Hue, the
capial of the Empire, is seated on a river of the
same name, which debouches into the Bay of Tu-
ron. and is remarkable for the strength of its
Notifications, which were erected many years age
e
Saigon, the chief commercial town of the Empire
is the finest dock yard in the Chinese seas-fol
these South Eastern Asiatics are excellent ship
builders The coast line of the Empire being
an extensive one, powerful navy has been at al
times maintained. Not long since, it was reported
to consist of eleven large vessels of war; hun
bred great galleys each of from fifty to seventy
oars; five hundred smaller galleys, and two hun
dred and eighty war-boats, armed with cannon
besides several frigates built on European models
Against this Empire combined French and Spa
nish Fleet Is now operating, and the allied force
have been so far successful as to have taken thu
seaport town of Turon, without sustaining an,
loss whatever. To this port of Turon the French
have recently revived q claim, which is said II
have originated as follows; In 1877, DHA LONG
unable to sustain himself in his government with
out foreign aid, sent his son to France accom-
poaiad by tie Cathohc Missionary, Bsho
p'ADRAs, to solicit the assistance of the Frenc
against his enemies. In consideration of tbes
services, it is alleged, that he offered to cede t
France the port Of Turon and certain portion c
the adjacent country. HIS proposition was &C
cepted. Aided by French officers, DJIA Lon
triumphed over Ills adversaries, annexed thei
Kingdoms to his own, and laying the foundation
the Annamese Empire, erected at Hue, his capita
those immense Notifications to which we hav
already referred. 1t was not, however, unit
1921 that France claimed of DJIA LONG the fulfill
ment of his promise, but that potentate being the
firmly established in power and having no longe
any need of the assistance of his quondam friends
refused to cede to France the port and territory
which she laid claim. His successors, even les
grateful, have committed many acts of violenc
against the missionaries who had been permitte
to reside within the limits of the Empire, and tn
brutal treatment to which the latter have bee
subjected, has caused the French Govern
ment to make repeated attempts t
bring about an amicabe understandin
with the Annamese authorities but i
every instance it has failed in eifectng il
object. In 1856 LOUIS NAPOLEON dispatched
special agent to Turon to make new attempt t
overcome the obstinacy of the Court of AMMAN
but the French envoy was not permitted to Olsen
bark, and was obliged to return to Paris withor
being able to transmit to Hue the message wit
which he was charged These proceedings II
Monaeur states were followed by a new persecl
ton, more vigorous than any preceding one du
ing which Catholic Bishop, NJ. DIAx, was put
death after having been subjected to the most no
rible tortures Upon learning the rejection of i
overtures and of the renewal of the old acts of VII
lence against the missionaries, an expedition W:
resolved upon. The Spanish government, whit
has also similar grievances TO redress, concurred
1.-THE object of the expedition, the command ofwhic
con6ded to Admiral GENoUILLY, and placed at h
disposal a regiment of troops from Manila, al
several ships-of-war. We learn from the Pres
that the object of the expedition is to demand fro
the Emperor of AMMAN a treaty of commerce. al
guarantees securing the missionaries from modest
ton in future. The Presse, however intimat
that France "will make larger use of the exp
edition she has undertaken" and significant
auuS lue people vi EUROPE are powerfully
''tracted at this time towards the extreme Eas
1.-THE development of commerce and industry h
"forced France to knit closer her relations wi
"China and Japan, for the purpose of exchangir
''her products for others which abound in tho
''rich countries. England, Spain, and Hollan
shave already important establishments in tho
seas France, on the contrary, does not posse
'there SINGLE foot Of land WI IL mt tbe,
pol't'c and proper, in regard to French interests tn
'she 'hould profit By the occasion that nov ofe
"itsc, and take up position betroeen China and
''da IN the magnificent Bay Of Turm?''
MUSICAL SOLREES.
The trio-soiree to be given tonight at Carrt
Hall, by Profs. Ahrend, Mahr, and Courlaende