The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1930-06-06
prepared by the National Geographic
Society, washington. D. c.


Society. Washington. ID. c.
TRANCE has recently found It
Unnecessary TO send punitive ex-
l. petition across the border that
lies between Indo-China a n d
China because of the activities of
Chinese Communists along the from
tier.
The expedition operated from Tong
king northernmost of the French coast
al colonies, but the step was taken as
a protection for the whole of French
Indo-China, that stretches from the
southeastern corner of Asia some 500
miles to the north and northwestward
1t is stable empire which France
controls there in Asia, either by out
right possession or protectorate-
265,000 square miles, an area almost
exactly the size of the state of Texas.
The region is, however, much closer
to the equator than Texas, occupying
position corresponding to that of
southern Mexico and Central America.
Thus the French Asiatic empire is
wholly within the tropics and in a
region of heavy rainfall.
The units of French Asia are Cochin
China, in the extreme south; Cam
bodia, in the southwest; AMMAN,
stretching along most of the eastern
coast; Laos, inland and to the north
west; and Tongking, filling the north
ern end of the elongated territory and
extending from the coast inland for
200 miles.
AMMAN is less completely under
French control, officially, than any of
the other states with which it is asSo-
'ciated in the territorial group known
as French IndO-China. 1t has its own
emperor and is listed as protector
ate. But AMMAN and the twelve mil
lion people of AnnameSe blood really
constitute the chief factor in this re-
gion of French influence. In few
places are the old forms of oriental
magnificence maintained as completely
as in the imperial establishment at
Hue, the capital Of AMMAN. Until
recently the palace was forbidden
ground. and it is still far from easy
to obtain access.
Inside the palace walls is rich
ness and an elaborateness seldom en-
countered outside fairy tales and the
settings of eXtravagant stage presenta-
lions. There are picturesque gardens;
paved courts, where on occasion the
ten thousand mandarins Of AMMAN
strike their foreheads in unison on the
ground before the emperor; dim cor
ridors of countless columns with their
huge perfume burners sending up con-
tinual clouds Of incense; and exquisite
rooms Of intricaiely wrought ceramics
and gold and silver. Opening into the
emperor's state rooms Is the great
Golden Door. through which, in addi-
ton to the sovereign, only the eXtraor-
binary ambassadors may pass.
Lavish festivals and displays take
place within this fairyland of luxury.
The most charming and characteristic,
perhaps, are the children's ballets, in
which scores of dainty, cOstumed
youngsters go through elaborate steps
and pastures with bright fans in their
hands and a lighted cOlored lantern
attached to each youthful shoulder.
Hue Itself Not Beautiful.
Outside the palace enclosure Hue
is less appealing. The metropolitan
area" of the city is in large part
collection of native villages clustered
in the shadow of the great palace
citadel walls. Across the river is the
French residency with its Gallo
western atmosphere. For a long time
Hue was little known, and as the
seat of an important country its size
was exaggerated. Its population is
only about 10000.
The town is in tropical region In
a latitude corresponding to the south
ern extremity of Mexico. 1t lies near
the mid-point of the long double
curving coast of French Indo-China,
few miles from the sea on the Hue
river. Built on a flat, the city itself
has little beauty Of form or setting;
but 1t would be difficult to find in the
tropics more beautiful environs than
IL DOSSeSS6S. Olllf u lew away
rise the mountains from which the
Hue river flows, and even closer are
lower wooded hills and valleys. Num-
erous villages are all but hidden in
mantle of green: palms, bamboos,
and scores of tropical vines and
shrubs. Carefully kept paddy fields
alternate with wild regions of under
bush, and scattered about the country
side are innumerable graceful pagodas.
The most remarkable feature of Hue
are the famous tOmbs Of the kings.
which lie In the charming pine and
banyan-covered valleys and hills few
miles from the city-true cities of the
dead, far more attrs ctive in setting
than that of the living. For each de-
parted ruler of the past several cen
turtles a large area has been devel-
oped as a resting place and memorial
for himself, his wives, children and
servants. These developed areas are
in two parts. One is a beautiful
group of gardens. lakes, summer
houses and memorial hall. The lat
ter is fitted with the furniture from
the departed emperors apartments.
The second part is vast enclosure
nearby, usually series of terraces
above the gardens, in some unmarked
spot of which the body Of the emperor
lies. The reigning emperor visits each
of these garden-tombs of his ancestors.
annually and makes obeisance to their
spirits.
The notable structures and gardens