LUNGCHOW
This city is situated at the junction of the Sung-chi and Kao-ping rivers, in lat. 22 deg. 21 min. N., and long. 106 deg. 45 min. E., near the western border of the province of Kwangsi, and was selected as the seat of the frontier trade with Tonkin. The con- tinuation of the two above rivers is known as the Tso-chiang, or left branch of the West River, and it enters the main stream some 30 miles above Nan-ning. The town is prettily placed in a circular valley surrounded by high mountains, and has a new wall completed in 1887. The population is estimated to number about 20,000. Lungchow, from a mili- tary point of view, is considered, by the Chinese, to be a place of much importance and large bodies of troops are massed in the neighbouring districts. It was opened to the Franco-Annamese trade on the 1st June, 1889, but so far the little trade existing has been of a very petty description, and will continue so, until reliable and cheap means of transportation are established n Tonkin between Haiphong and Langson. A railway is now under construction from Phu-lang-thuong (eight hours by steamer from Haiphong) to the latter place, and will shortly be completed, a section of it having already been opened to traffic. Telegraphic communication exists with Canton and other places down the West River, with Mêngtzŭ in Yunnan, vid Po-sê, and with places in Tonkin. An establishment of the Imperial Maritime Customs is maintained here. The value of the trade for 1890 was Tls. 33,362.
署事領國法大
CONSULAT DE FRANCE
DIRECTORY
Vice Consul-P. R. Bons d'Anty
Chancelier-G. Kahn (absent)
Chancelier substitue-G. P. Fargeas
Writer-Ma Wan-hsiang
關新州龍
## Lung-chow Hsin Kuan
IMPERIAL MARITIME CUSTOMS
Acting Commissioner-C. C. Clarke
Clerk-J. Berthelot
Tidewaiter-R. J. White