The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1859-01-05
THE EMPIRE OF ANAM.

jLtChHJHI
War has been commenced by France and Spain
against the Empire of Anam, ostensibly to demand
satisfaction for barbarous treatment inflicted by its
authorities upon Jesuit missionaries, who were
either murdered outright or grossly maltreated and
driven from the country but in reality mainly
with the view of re-establishing foothold in the
East Indies and at an intervening point between
British possessions in India and the Chinese En-
pire. Cochin China, with Tonquin and Cambodja,
forms e~Empire of Anam, which embraces the
great eastern peninsula beyond the Ganges, inter
venng between China and British India, extending
from 50 As to 23o north latitude and 1869 to 1000
east longitude 1t is 965 miles long by 60 to Ais
miles wide, giving an area of about 9S, 900 square
miles, and with population variously estimated at
from five to fifteen millions. The chief town in
Cochin China is Hue, its capital, with about 600,-
600 inhabitants. The chief town of Tonquin is
kecho, or Cachao, with 100000 inhabitants, and
Hean with $1,000; and the chief town of Cambodja
is Saigon, with 100000 Tonquin and Cambodja
contain immense tracts of alluvial and fertile
lands The country produces all the spices and
fruits with rice, cotton and sugar, tea and silk,
&c, common to China and the other Indian coun-
tries of the same ATTITUDES. Tonquin also abounds
in metallic mines, chiefly worked by the Chinese
The ethnology of its population is of the Malay
and Chinese type, with mixture of a darker race
of aborigines.
The coast of Cochin China abounds in good har-
bors, one of the best of which is Turon. She
boasts of less than nine good harbors several of
which are equal to any in the world.
The exports and imports of Anam very SINH
lar to those of some parts of China.
The Government is military despotism and he
reditary, with Viceroy Governors for Tonqun and
Cambodja The Emperor, on Mr.. Crawford's visit in
1882, had a body of 10000 men and 800 ee-
plants. He had also standing army of 10000 to
$4,000 men. The lower classes generally pro-
fess Buddhism, while the upper classes follow Con-
fucus.
Christianity was introduced by Portuguese Je-
suits in 1926, and there said to be about 425 900
Christians in the country, 300 900 in Tonquin, l00
600 in Cochin China, and $4,000 in Cambodja; but
they ignorant and abject race, and of no po-
litical influence. Theft is the universal failing of
the people of all creeds.
Anam was conquered by the Chinese 234 years
B. c., and held until A. d. 1853. 1t was recovered
in l40G and subsequently restored.
Bishop Adrian, French missionary, who was
the teacher of Louis XIV. was instrumental in re-
storing the throne of Anam to Gialong, who had
been educated in France Gialong died, was sue
ceeded by an illigitmate monarch appointed by the
Court of Pekin in 1921, and who invested with
supreme authority the three Provinces, thus
excluding the heirs of Giaong from the throne.
GalOng made important concessions to the French
monarch, Louis XIV, which never fulfilled.
1t is said to be of the objects of the French in
vasion to restore descendant of Gialong to the
throne, secure protection to missionaries, and the
fulilment of the grants and privileges accorded to
France under Louis lie Grande In this, however,
they will not succeed without a struggle. The
army of Anam is said to be strong and well armed.
The most the French will be able to do with Spain
to help them, will be to seize good port or two on
the coast, and possibly hold them, and if possible
also the city of Hue, the capital of Cochin China.
The chief towns named above have long been
well fortified, but not probably sufficiently strong
to resist the tactics of French artillery.
The wonder is why England never occupied some
of the noble ports of Cochin China, necessary to
protect her intercourse between India and the ports
of China proper.