Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1884-08-25
WHAT cAUsED HGsTILITIEs.

French explorers to open to the commerce
of Europe these then unknown regions of
the East. The eastern division of the Indo-
Chinese peninsula is composed of the terri
tories of AMMAN proper, Tonquin and the
French colony of Cochin China. 1t is near
ly century since the first treaty Of alliance
was signed between France and AMMAN,
territory then being coded which gave
France q long desired basis of operations in
this part of the East. At that time and I'M
til recently Tonquin was tributary of An
nam, governed by grand marshal whose
chief responsibility was for the defense of
Hue, the capital of the province. This
grand marshal held directly under the he
redtary and absolute Emperor Of AMMAN.
In 1855 the French, under Admiral Rigault
de Genouilly, seized a,ion, and on March
To- 1874. the Court of Hue indefinitely aban-
doned TO France the lower six provinces of
the empire, declaring one port in Tonquin
open to the commerce of all nations. From
that time there has been an Intermittent Sc
ries of complications between Tonqun and
France, and incidentally between France,
AMMAN and China. Though in name a vas
SAL and paying yearly tribute to China,
AMMAN has long been practically indepeDd-
ent but the two peoples are necessarily
identified by the relations of race, language
climate and custom.
On March Is, 1874, King Tuduc, of An
nam, and France entered into the treaty OF
Salon, which practically, though not os-
tensiby, gave France protectorate over
Tonuun. This treaty, which was not COM
municated to China for more than a year,
China refused absolutely 10 recognize. Then
for the first time in the controversy which
has now resulted in direct operations
against Foo Chow, France and China were
brought face to face. The treaty of Salon as
sured the Independence Of AMMAN, mention
ing it as Il dependency OF China, In 1880
there was rumor Of an extended French
expedition 10 Tonquin. Long diplomatic
correspondence followed between France
and China, aud the faces of French troops
we're turned eastward. In the spring of 1889
President tirevy informed the King of An
nam that the lattcr's inability to assure The
security Of Tonquin rendered it necessary
that France should establish herself definite
" there This was in consequence of the
repulse by the French on March % of that
year Of an attack of Annamcse troops. said
to be aided by Chinese regulars, on Hanoi,
the capital OF Tonquin.
hClLlOl "Slt az WIN ~"
France, and the cry of war was raised in
| China This cry has been kept up more or
less ever since, to the extreme discomfort
and sometimes danger OF foreigners in Chi
| nese ports. On February %, 1888, new
| French cabinet had been announced, and it
was under the influence Of General 'rhcbau
bin, minister of war, since replaced by Grr-
| eral Cam penon, that a strong anti-ChinCsc
| r., co,,aptal -, Lev, Irn
| 1883, China commenced actual preparations
| for The war which France had had i'll view
as possibility for many mouths, and for
| which, by her we'll concerted campaign In
Tonquin against the Aunamesc and the
Black Flags during the later spring and
summer, she was then ready.
Tuduc, king Of Annam ansl Il most deter.
mined enemy of France, died in July, 1883
however. and the treaty of Hue was signed
August %, ceding France another province.
a war indemnity and providing for the with
| drawal Of the Annamese forces from Ton
uuin. The right to maintain an armed
| force in Tonquiu and to undertake nCces.
sary military operations was also conceded
| to France On October Is Mini Bibh was
occupied without resistance by the French
forces, and after long preparations the at
tack on the great strategic fortress OF Son
tay was begun on December It, the French
entering the city on the 18th. On Decem.
| Der % the Marquis 1'seng, the Chinese am.
| bassador, left Paris after repeated threats to
| that effect, and for some time conducted ne
gotiations with Premier Ferry from 'Folke-
stone, his seat in England. Long palavers
followed over the alleged intention of each
government to declare war on the other
As matter of fact war has not, up TO this
writing, been declared. Chinese feel
ing in Europe was intensified early in Feb
ruary by intelligence of the massacre OF
| Christians in AMMAN and Tonquin, and sew
eral Jesuts by mandarins in Tonquin. Then
| followed weeks of inaction, during which
the French forces prepared for the crown
ing assault on the citadel of Mini, the
strongest fortress in Tonqnin, in which, in
addition 10 Tonquinese and Annamese sol.
diers, and the notorious piratical Black
Flags, there were Chinese regulars.
The assault on Bac-Ninh, under Generals
NIlot and Ncgrier, thus occasioned the first
overt act of war between France and China,
aud this, the key 10 ToDquin, fell to the
French arms on March II, 1854. This end,
ed, for the time, armed operations, and the
prospect Of mediation was diligently can
vasscd, as it appears, however. in vain.
| The Chinese army numbers POO, 900 men,
| 100000 infantry, 500,0 900 cavalry, 200 ar
tillery, 80 600 marines, 10000 reserves and
| II 900 officers. The French have in waters
accessible to China number Of powerful
iron clads and have 5000 men in Tonqun,
not more than 1000 of whom are available
for operations in the field.
The expenditure Of vast sums Of money
and great military talent have united TO
make the treaty port of Foo Chow, now the
immediate object of the proposed French
attack, the most valuable on the Chinese
coast. Twelve years ago French officer,
NJ. Gique, began the construction on the
treacherous bank of the river Min of il great
dockyard. There are now in the plant
rolling mills, iron works, engine factories,
and indeed all the facilities of first class
modern naval station, at which no less than
eleven war vessels of over 900 tons have
been launched and finished.
LEGISLATIVE
The debt question seems as far from cgis-
-. Al