New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-12-22
FRANCE IN TONQUN.
Outline OF DIPLOMATIC AND MILITARY
OPERATIONS.

TORATE OVER ANAh-ENhNio ~ iN-'F~--'
voIyING WAR WITH CHINA.
,rpow An OCCASIONAL CORRESPONDENT OF THE TRiBUNtI
PARIS Dee. 2.-French influence in Asa sou'h
of the Chinese Empire was first exercised
NV Jesuit missionaries. Toward the close Oh
the eighteenth century the sovereign VI
Anam being driven by rebels from the cltade oil HIS
capital was advised by the missionaries 10 en'ie"'
Louis XVI 10 aid him in regaining his throne
few vessels of war aud supply of arms ana "ni'i"
milton enabled the dethrOned King TO return " HIS
palace and in order to evlnce ms gidtl'""o "
France he ceded TO it an island ana I'n"-'''o
near his capital The territory was never occupeu'
Int the claim was filed for future use After tn'
A,o Pre,cb onerations on the Chinese seaboard,
. Act was sent TO Hue to demand the fuihment Oh
The old agreement The Emperor of Anam an not
cede the tract named in the original treaty ou' SUI
sttuted for il Saigon. near the moHth OF the rNer
Nckonc This district was acquired III lool anu
colony was Immediately founded. French traders
Immediately made their influence felt' ana III the
conrse of three years the colonial jurisdiction Oh
Cocbin China included a population of about
/ 100000, and the adjoining Kingdom OF Cam
bodia. with a population nearly great became
,,rotected country Although the French virtually
controlled the lower part of the Anamese peninsula
they did not succeed in developing a profitable
trade. The financial results of the colonial enter
r,1se were unsatisfactory Traders began to pnsh
northward in the hope of finding richer district
and diplomatic agents rapidly acquired an ascend
ancy at the Anamese Court IN Hue
In 1874 the Emperor signed a treaty recognizing
French prOtectorate over the entire country Oh
Ansm. Tonouin is the northenmost province of
that Empire and adioins China. Until 1882 no at
tempt was made to enforce the provisions OF TINS
treaty. the text of which had never been submitted
IN The Chinese Court. The French then strength
ened their diplomatic position at Hue and sent
naval expedition TO Hanoi TO rcpress the outrages
of river pirates and TO open the Songca tor Songcol
or Red River to commerce. Their subsequent opera
lions are grounded upon the rights nommally ac-
ouired by them under this treaty of 1874 The Chi
nese Government on the other hand, refuses to ac-
knowledge the validity of treaty which was not
sanctioned by the suzeran of Anam. China Is the
suzeran power having exercised for two centuries
tituIar supremacy over TOnquin and the Anamese
seaboard as far as Cape Cambodia This technical
question of sovereignty, however, is of comparative
slight importance The French would willingly
submit the Treaty of 1874, and the new agreement
with the present sovereign of Anam. to the Chinese
Court for ratification if they were left at liberty 10
control Tonquin and to open trade routes into the
populOus province of Yun-nan The Chinese viii
not consent to have any European Power control
the land frontiers of their Empire. This Is the real
ground of their opposition to the French operations
1882 by a force of Anamese troops, aided by
French naval corps. The position was held by
slender garrison under the command of Captain
Riviere, and urgent demands for achievements
were repeatedly sent to France. The lower part OF
the Song-ca Tor Songeo) delta had previously been
released from the domination of pirates and ma
RAIDERS but the interior was at the mercy OF inde
pendent communities known as the fello" rags
and Black Flags. These were bands OF Chinese
soldiers who during the TAPPING rebellion had
been driven by the Imperial troops across the border
into Tonquin. They had acquired control OF the
transit trade into Yun-nan along the Song-ca River
had imposed duties and established agencies on the
coast and at Hong Kong, and had succeeded in IN
timidating the Tonquinese and defying the Emperor
of Anam. The Black Flags headed the resistance
which was offered TO the invading Europeans and
in the course of year the sympathy and active
support of the natives. The AnameSe also sided
with them especially as the Chinese dpomatlsts at
Hue were constantly intriguing against the french.
CAPTAIN Riviere, failing to receive achievements
and finding himself hemmed in by hostile forces
finally was compelled 10 take the offensive. IIe
Black Flags and Tonquinesc by that time had sue
cee,led in investing Hanoi and bonbardtng the clta-
del. although there were three French glnboats in
the river. On Nav 20, 1883, Captain ldviere, after
making a successful sOrtie, decOyed into am
bush and surrounded by thousands of Chinese and
natives His command. consisting Of 400 men,
finally cut their way through the enemy, but he
was killed together with the principal officers and
fifty men.
The French Government Immediately ordered
General BouGt commander Of the forces IN Cochin
China, to repair to the Song-ca delta with all the
troops which could be spared from Saigon, and re-
Inducements were sent ont from Toulon and New
Caledonia. The defcnces at Hanoi, Ilaiqhong and
Halo he
rapdlv completed The garrison at Namdinh i'm
proved its position by brilliant sOrtic on july ID,
and at Haiphong there was slight skrmishing favor
able 10 the French By this time VI. Ilarnand the
Civil Commissioner had arrived, and General Bouet
and Admiral CouTbet were prepared to take the
offensive.
The French were favored with an unexpected
piece of good fortune. The Emperor OF AnaIn had
died and a dispute had arisen in regard to the sue
cesson. On August IS, the French squadron APP
preached Hue and bombarled the forts. Within
three days NJ Harmand was able to dictate treaty
of peace to the new Emperor. This treaty made the
French protectoratc over Anam absolate. Orders
were issued recalling the Auamese troops which had
been sent to Tonquin, and the direction of the Dip
lomacy of the Empire was given TO French resi-
dent Minister.
The operations in Tonqum were resumed about
the same time Hai-dzuOng captured with 100
cannon and Kuang-yen Ia port near the seaboard
, north of Hsiphongl was also occupied. An attack
upon PhOuhai Ia town between Hanoi and SOntaJ
was less successful the French rctreatlng from an
untenable position after defeating force Oh l1ooO
natives Operations were temporarily suspended ow-
ing to the nundaton of the delta and tothe neccssi
ty for renforcements General Bouct was ordered to
return 10 France, and Admiral Courbct was given
the supreme command of the combined military and
naval forces Reinforcenents were sent out IRON
France. and preparations were made to complete the
conquest of the Tonquin.
Meanwhile the war party had prevailed IN the
Imperial councils at Pekin. body OF Chinese