The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1867-10-19
THE FRENCH IN ASIA.

Steady March from Cochin China-NapOle0n's
Idea Of an Asiatic Empire-The Kingdoms
Of Anam and slam Likely 20 be Absorbed
and Bnrmah In Danger.
From the Bombay Gazette, August 161
The tiny colony in Cochin China Of which ali French.
men are 30 proud and which with tho island Of Now
Caledonia and few spols Of verdurs in the Pacific
ocean, scarcely visible the best aliases, constitute all
that may be dlgnfsd with the name Of the French en-
pire in the East has lately received small accession OF
General jubsn and will make the bosom or The French
subject territory in Cochin China hitherto under the
domination OF France has been actually doubled In size
within the last two months and that million Of human
beings have been brought thereby under the imperial
which has been announced With great pomp and
soemnty BY Admiral De La Grandere Ia utterly insg-
ncant IN every sense except ~ indicating the drf Of
French policy In the Eastern seas (aready well enough
understood and giving further promise that the
station which France has secured within the last ave or
great empire II she has the presidency good luck to
her first successes with future conques SO far
II: .S, IN M
that much more territory and many more people
thus wresed from barbarian and brought under the
s.bessngs Of European civilization" French colonial
government prcctsed IT Saigon demonstrates that
were Lord Cranborne's vsrdcs fact, Il mot in India
only that natives prefer an aboriginal to foreign gov
ernmen for the French method Of rule almost de.
populated the uxurianty fertile della OF the Mekong
river, which until the new annexatons comprised the
whole Of the French dominions in Cochin China The
city OF Saigon itself has been deserted by all the
yerios' dreg. Of the naive population outlying villages
delta which were cultivated BY busy and thriving
people before the ifreDch occupation, have. since
rice, the staple trade OF the district, which
under native rulers somewhere between 40 900
ss 2 Sswn 10
export trade having arisen 10 take its place. Nearly the
whole import trade Of Saigon consists OF provision
for the forces and such munitions and materials rs
not manufactured in tho government arssnas
Goidsmths famous coupIet therefore, Is not realized
for while tho men are decaying In the colony, wealth
is not sccumulating, nor Is il likely TO sccumu
late under The heavy restrictions which Imposed
some recent relaxation OF which aware.
Capital il thus excluded from the colony even II the
shorsighcd commercial prohibitions sufficient
Danish enterprise and trade, the grinding system OF
taxation which finds favor in the eyes OF tho govern
men aud which, the wealthy natives have aImos, to
lef French territory, falls on the miserable
creatures who constitute the population, would strike
deadly blow at the prosperity OF the colony Never.
theless we frankly ADMIT that the French have dons
something 70 viudicats European civilization In the
colony although their works will not bear comparison
with the splendid and wonderful ruins OF the city OF
Ongcor which stand near tho confines OF the colony TO
the refinement and magn1cence Of by gone age
without speaking OF the shlpbuiIdns yard, ana the
that they have built Saigon right an
giles; they have built wooden bridge which leads any
one who passes across u over canal and TO DO quite
colonial like. they have built nifty sixty wooden
shops. in which few Cninamen and Maays sell liquor
and food and clothes To complete the petty parochia
aspect OF the whole place. thore is the usual OF
wranging, disagreement and jealousy among handful
OF Europeans who the representatives course OF
the much-ysun European civilization and the dsscn-
sion between the services heightened In this instance
by the colony being under naval admpisrson 70 the
almost entire exclusion Of the military
That France under the regime OF present Emperor
especially aiming at an Asaitc empire 10 longer
matter Of doubt and Saigon has secured one Of the
and by 20 rendered mpregnable and win speedily be
better supplied with the Of maintaining In
m NAV ss Is.
kingdom OF Anam up 70 the borders Of China, and the
entire kingdom OF sam will be absorbed In the
We shall then have French neIghbor along our fronsf
OF Tenesserim. For tho development Of powerful
favorable position than the delta OF the grea. cAmboda
river. which drains through a whole length from the
rorss he 1rsocb cso, ,h 4. rrry.sc
Is the key to twohds OF the OF the peninsula and
the position could not even he checkmatsd BY our
naming third maintaining his present close commercial
alliance With England One OF the earliest acts Of
sss 1Unan',e s .Sy had sS'A:d
their influence northward over Camboda,
an sppanags Of the samsse kingdom which they wres,sd
from its sovereign lord and after erecting u into king
dom, placed II under the prosccrats OF France with
the privilege Of prohibiting the oonsus OF any foreign
q preliminary o anne-aao~ and ohen TIA, q sgsetd
tis tcdy 70 opened for dmpertng vita Siam or making
The rressn, King Of Siam an sulshied ruler, speaks
English well and Ia, been frequent contributor tn Eng
la . an snciia Journal He e alive 70 the Importance
mouth OF which bis capital stands by means OF rail-
way from the capital samesc and British territory
10 Moumsn, thus giving his commerce rapid and
direct outlet into the Bay OF Bengal The annexation OF
sam or Of Ansm sud the consequent establishment OF
French highway along the Mekong river into Burmah.
brings France into contact " not collision with
English interests IN Burmah aud Southern China.
III We ore to establish commercial highway
between China and the Bay OF Bengal, We eau
not allow French influence to. predomnate IN BUR-
nah. JUDGING from all present appearances, and
By the growth OF public opinion 10 II manifestly the
destiny OF Britain 10 add Burnsh 10 the British domin.
ions. BY thus making Eastern frontier eoniermi-
nous WIN China wo provide direct commercial chan.
nel or communication between Southern China and the
Indian Ocean, and prepare the way for throwing open
communication vAh Hong Kong. Long before France
can ascend the Cambodls river 30 10 subsidxs the
States OF the Shans that tribute 10 Siam and Bur
NAH perhaps even before she snnsx SIAM Burmah
viii DO British territory. But this Interpretation
Of the tigns OF the times 10 fall would be our duty, ON
the appearances OF France among the tributary Shan
Statee, 10 add Barmah 70 the Indian Empire France
herself will give the warning her progress VIII be
preceded with the anarchy she will sedulousy help 70
create. With Burmab brought within The great red
line OF British dominion need have no Jealousy OF
French conquests; but with Burmah unabsorbsd by
Britain and open 70 French Intrigue, and finally 70
French annexation, which VIII shut W out forever from
daecb Communication win China ~ AAAu ep|y aVles