The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1884-01-25
Why France Wants Anam.
..Why do the French want Anan

"Why do the French want Anam2"
"Iss possession would be an immense
acquisition. 1t is a large territory to
begin with, and its capac ties for future
development are immense. "
"In what way immense?'
1.-The natural resources are great. The
land las understand ise tremely fertile,
and only lacks cultivation to produce
the heaviest of crops adapted to that
climate. Again, the mineral deposits
are unquestionaby rich / know this
to be fact, that not long ago a civil
engineer-and most capable and
trusty gentleman he was in his profess
sion-was EN- Logged BY the Chinese
government to go through China and
n axe thorough examination as to It's
mineral deposits. The examination
was made as required, and in its con-
temptation the engineer not only en-
pressed his personal a>tonishment at
the result as far exceeding his expecta-
lions, but he added that his report would
open widely the eyes of the Geographi-
cal Society of England when the facts
came to its knowledge. His report is
that there is no country in the world
possessing such undeveloped mineral
wealth, and that the coal deposits ex-
coed anything in the world. If this is
true of China proper i don't see why it
should not be true of Cochin China 1t
is not i'm Jossible that emissaries of tire
French Government may have already
discovered and revealed to the govern
ment the present richness and pros &C.
tive value of Anam, and that, with
view to its acquisition on account of its
great and growing value in the future,
the present hostilities have been mi
tiated"
"You have mentioned the reasons
why the French will be likely to pro-
tract the war, if need be, in order to
accomplish their supposed purpose of
achieving permanent possession OF
Anam. Now, why do you think the
Chinese Government will resist this at
tempt, and rattle than yield incur the
peril and expense of a protracted war;"
"The Chinese people are not dull.
The govern Nc powers are the reverse
of sleepy. Everybody is on the make
there. as they call it. There are plenty
of Boss Tweeds. In the matter of build
ing naval vessels and procuring arms it
is said that the appropriations already
expended exceed three times the pur-
chases legitimately accounted for I
only mention this fact to show that they
are wlde-awake people and up to the
tr cks and manners of those nations
presumably more advanced in the cur
riculum of progressive civilizat on.
They know what Anam is worth, amt
will not give it up without a struggle.
Although under king, the future will:
convert this little province into broad
field for contracts and a rich territory
for cuItivating the aesthetics of nepo-
tism The Chinese Government will
not forget this, and the French Govern
ment should not orget it. eth The
Chinese are realizing the growing i'm
portan of Anam, and have no DISPOSE
ton to let it go without a struggle. The
Chimes are not afra d to fight. They
are a plucky people"
"But they lack training as soldiers?'
"They certainly do, and l am will
ing to concede that five thousand we'll
dis .iplined french troops would whip
fifty thousand raw Chinese soldiers. Do
you tn NIX the Chinese would attach any
importance to tn fact? Not bit of
it. They won d light to the last ditch,
and there would be plenty to fill up the
gaps. The loss of 3Op, 90 would be but
nea bite"
"Cousd blockade be made so eff
fectual as to prevent our ships of COM
merce from running it without much
danger?"
There is pretty good stretch OF
seacoast, and good many ships OF war
would be req',i.ei to make a b ockade
an efficient safe guard a ainst the ingress
or egress of trading vessels. think
however, if any naval blockade were at
tempted, that there would be DARN
spirits willing and eager to attempt to
run it, Such attempts would be made,
and successful ones no doubt, but COM
merce in the main m Isl be at stand
still This is one of The calamities OF
war "-Intcr, ! 10, m N. y. Herdid