The Red Cloud chief., 1882-07-13
4 Recent French Conquest In Cochin
China.

The Tunisisn game i being repeated
by France In a quarter Of the globe 50
distant as to attract but little attention.
Recently came the news from Hong
Kong hat the French had captured
Hannoi after two hours COMMANDMENT.
For the second time the French are In
possession Of the capital Of Tonquin.
and this time they will undoubtedly
stay. Tonquin, or Tong King. il one
1T the three Provinces of the Empire 81
! Anam. or Cochin China. which stretches
along the China Sea. with the Celestial
Empire To the north. and the Kingdom
Of Siam to the west. Tonquin is the
most northerly Of these provinces, aud
lays along the Gulf of Tonquin. The
climate IL subject To Y heat and
cold. and there are frequent and heavy
falls Of rain. which catise disastrous in
undatiOns. But for all that the climate
Is wholesome, and the whole region is
one Of great fertility. IL contains mag
niiicent forests Of fine woods; produn,s
endless crops Of rice. cotton. ginger,
Indian corn. sugar-cane and tea; and
embraces vast plantations Of k:ui-
berry for the rearing Of silk-worms.
producing the finest article Of silk;
while the earth contains rich de-
posits Of gold. silver. copper and iron.
Adjacent to Tonquin is the French
colony Of Cambodia, aud for several
years past the French have been moving
slowly, but deliberately. in the direction
Of annexation. They have had an eS-
cuse for interfering in the operations Of
pirates in the adjacent sea. and the exc
petition which was fitted o u last year
for the ostensible suppression OF the
pirates In about resulting. as was ex.
pected. in the annexation Of the whole
province tn the French dominion in
Farther India. Hannoi. the city which
has Just fallen into French hands. is the
capital Of Tonquin. and is situated on
Sank-koi River. 100 miles northwest
from its confluence with the Gulf Of
TonJuin. II is n poorly-built own of
1Jo.0o inhabitants. most of the houses
being made Of lumber and mud. But il
il already the center Of q valuable CON-
merce. which admits Of vast develop
ment nj the hands of the French. In
1870 NJ. GARNER. nj the head Of only
$50 men. captured the citadel Of Ham
moi, and with two colleages practically
annexed the whole province tn the
French dominions. Nj. GARNER and his
officers were assassinated. but his suc- !
cessor had almost secured the formal
ccssion Of Tonquin when the arrival Of
q new Governor, NJ. Philastrc, led tn n
sudden reversal of the forward policy. and I
France contentcd herself with a treaty
with the King of Anam. signed the 18th
of March. 1874, which recognized her
sovereignty over the six provinces Of
Lower Cochin China. and established a
sort Of ~protectorate we Anam itself.
This nominal protectoratc, however.
has not satisfied the colonists and those
home who were interested in the
trade Of Cochin China. and now the OPP
erations of those convenient pirates
which have for years dominsted the
country above Hannoi have Civ
EN- n plausible excuse for a protectorate
that viii be found more substantial
The annexation Of Tonquin will place
IN the possession Of France the whole
coast of the China Sea. which
has many good harhors and several
for the commerce Of the region.
The Meikone ~ -mbodia, the Saigon
md the Saig-koi IN magnificent
rivers. In 1873 q French merchant
named Dupuis succeeded IN ascending
he last named stream to q point within
he Yunnal boundary. He showed that
{ was perfectly navigable. and that the
,nly obstacles To traversing it were
by the disturbed state Of the
on its banks. The French viii.
# course, remedy this difficulty when
hey obtain full possession Of the coun-
ry.--Loadon Paper.