HANOI
Hanoi, Capital of Tonkin, is situated on the right bank of the Song-Koi (Red River), about 72 miles from its mouth. The city is built close to the river and extends more than one mile along the bank. The first aspect for visitors coming from Haiphong by train or by river-boat, is not an imposing one, as the tashionable portion of the town, the principal European centre, is situated further back. Here, broad and well-kept streets under the shade of trees of all kinds, numerous imposing public and private buildings, present a very nice European town of modern style. The city is lighted by electricity and abundantly supplied with good drinkable water by enormous waterworks. Five electric tramcar lines run through the town over a distance of eight miles. A special attraction is the "Petit lac," a lake of nearly half a square mile in the middle of the town, rendered picturesque by the quaint pagodas occupy- ing the small islands which adorn it, and surrounded by promenades. Facing the lake there is the Square Paul Bert, with a fine bronze statue of Paul Bert unveiled on the 14th July, 1890, and a bandstand in the middle. Close to the square there are the City Hall, Treasury, Post Office, Union Club, Bank of Indo-China, Résidence Supérieur and the Hotel Metropole. Other public buildings, as the residence of the Commander of the Troops, the Hospital, etc., are situated on what was formerly the "Concession, close to the river bank. There are two large Roman Catholic Catliedrals and a hand- some small Protestant church. The imposing palace of the Governor-General stands at the entrance of the Botanic Garden, and other fine buildings in the town are the Theatre, Museum, Palais de Justice, Terminus, Ideo, Credit Foncier, etc. There are tow first-class hotels-the Hotel Metropole, with a front of nearly 300 feet, and the Splendid Hotel-as well as some smaller ones. The "Cercle de l'Union," and Société Philharmonique possess their own buildings. A racecourse, opened in 1890, is situated just outside the new town. Daily and periodical French and native papers are published at Hanoi. The "citadel "-formerly the fortress of the Mandarin Governor of Tonkin is now occupied by the French troops as the barracks and general headquarters. However, many interesting and historic buildings remain within the compound, including the Royal Pagoda.
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The ancient city is situated between the citadel and the river and presents a novel appearance, owing to the singular architecture of the houses. Since the occupation by the French great improvements have been effected in the laying-out of the town, and the formation of roads and streets, of which over 50 miles have already been drained, electrically lighted, and, even in the native city, well kept and very clean as compared with those of other Eastern cities. Of the numerous temples and pagodas, that of the "Grand Buddha," situated on the shore of the Grand Lake, is the most important and interesting for visitors on account of its colossal bronze statue.
Steel built halls, each 160 by 60 feet, for the native markets have been erected in different quarters.
Trade, both export and import, is steadily increasing, and besides many important mercantile houses there is also a development of industries in this town; a cotton spinning mill, ice factory, match factory, paper manufactory, some distilleries furniture-shops and a brewery are among the number.
The transit trade has developed considerably since the different railway lines have been opened which connect Indo-China and Tonkin with Yunnan Province. The first part, connecting Haiphong with Hanoi, was opened in July, 1902, and the line enters the capital by a magnificent steel bridge, 5,100 feet in length, over the Red River.
The Botanic Garden of Hanoi occupies a very fine site and is one of the best in the Far East. It contains over 3,000 various species of plants. The climate has under- gone a very favourable change, thanks to many sanitary works executed by the French, such as laying drains through the whole European and native city, filling up pools, marshes, etc. There is distinction of season: the summer begins in April