The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1883-10-06
The Bone OF Contention Between France
and China.

country about which France and China
are now quarreling and may go to war.
Properly, however, Cochin China is a
name which belongs to the whole east
'ern division of the Indo-Chinese PENN
ssula, COMPOSED of the Territories OF
Anam, Tong King and the French col
-ony of Cochin China. 1t forms the arc
of a circle with coast line of 1,240
miles stretching from eight degrees
thirty minutes, to twen5y-three degrees
NJ lat In the northern part of Tong
King it has a breadth of 372 miles,
which diminishes in the Kingdom of
Hue to fifty miles, again widening in
Che lower section to 100 miles. 1t is
bonded on the north by the Chinese
provinces of Yun-Nan and Kwang-Se;
soA:the east and south by the China sea,
and on. the west by the Gulf of Siam,
the Kingdom of Cambodia, and the
Laos Territory tributary to the Siamese
Empire. The total area is estimated at
from 100000 to $780, square miles
about that of France-while the French
colony occupies nearly $4,000 square
miles The northern coast is washed by
the great Gulf of Tong-King, containing
numerous islands and having a depth of
water varying from $50 to 230 feet. A
range of mountains of considerable
height extends the entire length of the
empire parallel with and about thirty
miles distant from the eastern coast.
From these mountains flow number of
small rivers, usually too shallow for
navigation, but furnishing abundant
irrigation. The great river called
Tong King, Song-Coi or Hoang- Kiang
(Red Riyer) empties into the China
Sea and Gulf of Siam through four
mouths. communicating with each
other by natural channels and artificial
canals. IL is by these outlets, or sub
ordinate rivers, that Ke-Cho, or Ha-
MOI, Che capital of Tong-King, is
reached. This town, and the Port of
Ninh-Hai in the province of Hai-Dzuong,
were opened to foreign commerce
by q Treaty between France and the
Government of Hue, signed March Is,
1874. The southern portion of the en-
'pire. but particularly the deltas of the
Hoang- Kiang and Me-Kong, is remark
ably fertile. producing large crops of
rice, sugar. spices and u variety of
tropical fruits. The mountains have
an abundance of timber suitable for
ship building, besides ebony and other
. coast fisheries are the main de-
pendence of the inhabitants. 1t
is said by recent explorers that
TongKing is very rich in metals, in
Q Guiding gold. silver and iron; but the
natives will give no information to
4 strangers concerning them. The eli
mate. though in some parts of the
, country reasonably good, is, on the
whole, unhealthy for Europeans; and
experience in the French colony has
proved that they cannot be acclimated.
The most fatal disease for them is dys-
entery. and very few children of Euro
pean parents survive three months after
birth.
The total population is estimated at
about 100000, though no accurate
figures are obtainable. The natives are
seemingly link-and very ugly one
between the Mongolian and Malay
races. They are short in stature, of
tawny complexion, with coarse skins,
low foreheads, fiat faces, large mouths,
thick lips, and peculiar construction
of legs which gives them curious
-swagger in their walk The hair is
sblack and worn long, being gathered in
q knot on the top of the head. The men
haYe scanty boards, and the usual
clothing is sort of frock and wide
trousers of cotton or silk. The women
have no more pretensions to beauty than
the men, and though the victims of
much domestic and social oppression
are not Obliged to live in seclusion. In
social customs the people resemble the
Chinese, and their religion is a mixture
of Buddhism and COnfucianism, with
lower forms of belief among the masses.
Christianity counts 100000 disciples
an Tong King and 1000 in lower Cochin
China; 'mainly, if not altogether, the
result of Catholic missions. The ma
'tionai character is mild and incapable
of much emotion or energy. All classes
are generally quiet, inoffensive, lazy,
and fond of simple amusements. The
government is an imperial despotism,
resembling that of China. The crown
descends to the Oldest son of the SOW
ereign, and the public offices are open
80 all; so'below the throne there are no
social distinctions, except those attach
u ing to official station and wealth. The
aocal governments are in the hands of
msndarins, chosen, as in China, by
~2Smpetitive examination. The army
ION paper numbers eighty regiments
OF five hundred men each The navy
which has no ships-consists of thirty
regiments. commanded by an admiral
iin-chief, a vice-admiral and two rear
sadmirals.
Of the early history of the country
little is known, except that originally
r7kNas entirely under the dominion of
esMna. In the beginning of the tenth
century some of the native chiefs re-
yolted and founded government OF
their own, acknowledging only nomi.
nal vassalage to the Chinese Emperor
Marco Polo, in the latter half of the
thirteenth century. was the first Eu
ropean visitor. and the Portuguese the
FIRST European colonists. In the seven
teenth century Christianity was intro
'duced by the Jesuits, who at the close
of Che eighteenth century converted
Nhe Emperor, Gya-Long, and established
apowerful hierarchy; but succeeding
emperors went back to the old faith
and in some instances prosecuted thu
native Christians and their teacher