The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-03-12
Bacninh and Its surroundings.

Bacninh is not place which gives its defend
ers much chance. The fortress is a quadrilater
all furnished with bastions and, like all the 9th
ers in Tonquin, is of the Vauban type. When
last European was there the few guns mounted
were honeycombed with age Possibly there is
something more formidable there now The
place is commanded by some low hills from
quarter to a half mile distant. These emf
nenees are perfectly devoid of vegetation, and of
fer, therefore, no difficulties in getting the guns
into position. 1t is in making their way to these
hills that the French will find the trouble. I'm
like the majority of Eastern towns Bacninh does
not stand on a river. 1t is about two miles from
the Thaibinh arm of the Songkoi delta and four
from Doho, small village on the Songchi canal.
From this latter place is imperial road to Bac-
mini. This road is, however, mere delusion.
1t is an embankment about a yard wide, worn
away by the floods in many places and probably
nowhere able to support the weight of field ar
tillery
Apart from the fact that it is in the occupa-
ton of the Chinese, the town is of no import
ance. There are not more than five or six hun
dren thatched houses arranged in a semicircle
outside the fosse of the citadel These houses
are, however, surrounded with high bamboo
and cactus fences and scattered about regard
less of order in a tangle of bamboo clumps and
palm trees. If retreat is cut off there may
therefore, be some desperate fighting before the
place Is taken Bacninh is now very strongly fort
1ted and will prove hard nut for the French to
crack. 1t is very probable that the Chinese
garrison have been strongly reinforced from
over the border and that during the past six
months the work of Strengthening the
bastion and forts has gone on steadily
Since 1870 Bacninh has been garrisoned
by Chinese imperialist troops, the Canton
militia. These troops were sent by the Yiceroy
of Canton at The earnest entreaty Of usC King o.
AMMAN. The whole of Tonquin was then in
danger of falling into the hands of the Black
and Yellow Flags, and it was only the interven-
tlon of the suZerain power which prevented such
a catastrophe. Ten years ago there was gar
rison of 200 Cinnamon in the citadel, and there
has never been anything to show that they have
returned to their own country. General Tehen
a Chinese warrior, who has made some name
for himself was then the commander A few
weeks ago it announced that the same
general had gone to the Canton Tonquin from
tier
The information regarding Bacninh is most
conflicting, some anticipating determined re-
sistance, others the retreat of the Chinese regu-
lars. The proposed plan'of attack, after the ar
rival of General Millot with 5000 men of the re-
Inducements, is fixed for tomorrow, when the
full moon will assist the operations. Eight thou
sand men will attack, in three columns. One
moves from Hanoi along the main road to Bac-
ninh one crosses the Canal des Rapides, aud one
goes direct from Maiphong -uj -Thaibinh support
ed by a ffotilla of gunboats. These gunboats
will shell Bacninh, supported by a mountain bat
terry on the hill near the Canal des Rapides
Under cover Of this fire the three columns will
make their attack Arrangements have been
planned to cut Off the retreat across the Thai
binh to Baothanh, Thur Langson and China