The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-11-10
THE EASTERN QUARREL.
France Puts a Leading Question to the Chi
Authorities.

neSe Authorities
PARIS Nov 9-It is said that the French
charge d'affaires at Pekin, has been in
structed to summon the Chinese government
to declare whether it intends to support a
garrison at Bacninh.
The Temps says that during a recent
skirmish in the direction of Bacninh, a
Japanese officer, accompanying the French,
saw the banners of Chinese regulars among
the troops occupying Bacninh.
Challemel-Lacour has gone to Cannes.
The appointment of Ferry as Minister of
Foreign Affairs has been gazetted.
Ia Liberte considers the visit of the Crown
Prince of Germany to Spain mere matter
of etiquette, and regards the nomination of
Marshal Serrano, the well-known friend of
France, as Spanish ambassador to France a
fact which indicates the friendship OF Spain
for France.
The preamble of the Tonquin credit bill
states that the total French force in Tonquin
at the beginning of November was $3.50
men, and the French naval force in Tonquin
and Chinese seas numbered thirty-two yes-
sells, and the crews numbered 4,500
The Red River Details Towns and Road
ways.
New York Herald
Sontay is the capital of the province of the
same name, and is the most inland town of
the delta. Its importance now, with Bac-
mini, both situated close to the portion of
the plateau country occupied by the Black
Flags, is of the first order. Until these are
occupied the French cannot hold possession
of the delta, far less operate beyond. The
citadel represents the Importance of these
towns. All Tonquinese towns have citadels,
necessary measure in past times. While
on the subject of the northern frontier,
whose Importance cannot be overrated it
may be stated that in the citadels of Gao
Bang and Lang-Son there is a joint
military control, having both Chinese
and Annamese generals. The vagueness
of the frontier means an element of danger
hereafter On the River Claire the Yellow
Flags and on the Songkoi the Black Flags
have been established since 1866. They are
the remains OF the Tapping rebels, who from
1910 overran Kwangse Kwangtung and
later went north to Nankin. Those Black
and Yellow Flags were driven over the south
Chinese frontier and settled in the debatable
land between China and Tonquin.
Haiphong, seaport town with trade with
the center of Tonquin, is in an important
position, commercially speaking From
military point of view it has two disadvant-
ages, the first being that it is on land that is
flooded by the highest tides, and the second,
that there is no good water supply.
Kivangoen, situated in the north
east is in a better situation, is
healthier and has good water from the
hills at the back. The seat of government
will certainly be at Hanoi, and the main
port probably Kwangyen. This place, which
is the most eastern town of importance has
a population of 1000 people only 1t is pro-
tected by a citadel, The province is tangle
of mountains covered with forests. The
hills in the interior are inhabited by noun
taineers fairer and stouter than the Tonquin-
ese, living by the chase and on maize. In
the valleys are found Chinese villages, very
poor The coast and islands of the archi-
pelago are only peopled by Chinese pirates
and fishers. Authority here is but family
felt, and such is the condition of the other
northern provinces-Caobinh, the raised
plateau; Lang-Son and Tbainguyen. An
Mantle authority in the last three is purely
nominal, and mandarins of Hue have often
been driven from these parts
Although the delta is covered with en-
bankments which serve roads, there is
only one main route from Hue to Hanoi.
Thence to China there are two routes-one
striking north, via Lang-Son; the other east
via Kwangyen. These roads, which are some
fifteen feet broad, are impossible half the
year. No wheel carriage exists except an
occasional wheelbarrow, near the towns.
These main roads are meant to facilitate the
passage of mandarins in chairs and trans
roads lead to China. The minor roads of the
delta serve for native foot passengers and
horsemen. Away from the delta nothing
but footpaths are found The princi-
pal points of junction on the routes
are Hanoi for the south, Cao-Bang and
Lang-Son for the north, and Kwargyen for
the northeast The tram system is very af-
fective. 1t is precisely similar to that OBJ
tanning in China and Japan, and distances
are accom- plished with marvellous rapidity.
On leaving the delta, striking north, the
country becomes more broken, less popu-
lated and less fertile. AS in Southern
China, only the valleys and lower slopes and
spurs are cultivated with maize and noun
tain rice. In the valleys and along the 1
southern edge of the hill country the Chinese
marry freely with aborigines and Annamese.
Ali around the fringe of the delta and even
in Hanoi Chinese and half-breeds form the
majority of the population, and near the
northern frontier the Annamese language is
hardly spoken.