HUE
Hué, the capital of the kingdom of Annam, and the seat of government, is situated about 12 km. from the sea on a small, scarcely navigable river named Sông-huong and called by the French the Hué river, which debouches on the coast in about lat. 16 deg. 29 min N., and long. 107 deg. 38 min. E. The grand mountain chain of Annam, rising in four successive lines, approaches the coast North and South, forming round the town an immense belt broken only by the sea, giving to the city a smiling and picturesque aspect. Hué consists of two distinct parts-the official quarter and the merchant quar- ter. The former is simply the citadel, an immense quadrilateral measuring on each side 2,400 metres with the front bastioned after the type of the fortifications at Vauban. Within is another fortified enciente in which the King has his palace. The merchant town stretches along the side of the canal which serves as a moat on one side of the quadrilateral. The centre gate of the inner wall is in the form of a pagoda, gilt and adorned with elaborate carvings. The majority of the houses and even the public build- ings in Hué are, however, very mean and in a bad state of repair. The Royal palace, like that of Peking, has yellow tiles; those of the nobles have red. The population of the city and suburbs is estimated at 40,000, of whom about 800 are Chinese. The only Europeans
are the French Resident and his suite. The mouth of the Hué river is defended by forts, which were taken by the French in August, 1883, when the Hué Government at once capitulated.
DIRECTORY
RESIDENCE SUPÉRIEURE DE L'ÀNNAM Resident Supérieur-M. Groleau Inspecteur des Services Civils Adjoint—M.
X.
►
Chef de Cabinet-M. Delamarre Secrétaire Particulier-M. X.
PROVINCES DE L'ANNAM
TOURANE
The port of Tourane is situated about forty miles to the south-east of Hué, the capital of Amam, but on account of the Thuan-an Bar it is accessible by sea for large craft during only six months of the year, from the end of March to the end of September. The land route from Hué, about sixty-eight miles in length, passes over the Nuages range of hills and is an easy road for horse and foot traffic. The extensive bay of Tourane is surrounded by hills and affords anchorage to the largest vessels. The Government transports and the steamers of the Compagnie Nationale de Navigation and the Messageries Maritimes and the Chargeurs Réunis find an anchorage here at all states of the tide and in all weathers. The Tourane River, which has its source in the mountains of the interior, empties itself into the Bay. It is navigable only for small boats and junks, by which the traffic with the provinces of Quang-nam and Quang-ngai The town, which is well built, extends for a length of nearly two miles along the left bank of the river. It possesses many public buildings, including the French Residency,
a fine Military Hospital, spacious and well ventilated Barracks, the Custom-house, the Treasury, the Post Office, and the Municipal Offices, also a number of
is carried on.