and the suffossed
Precity to
Treaty between France and Annam I
have the honor to
transmit a cop of the Hong Kon Daily Press information
which contains
the
same subpet, which
may be interesting to Your Lordship.
I have the hours tibe Lord,
yotes dold this humble serient
Governor
Giov: Compe
3867
66
Expect from the Hory Nong Carly 915th Fehmary 1874
Press
TONQUIN.
The Saigon Independant, of the 1st instant, contains some important intelligence from the above place, of which the following is a transla- tion: News from Tonquin bas reached us from various quarters and different sources, which seews to us quite worthy of credit, and which leads us to now consider the death of M. Garnier no longer as one of those regret- table events, which have ouly a limited influence the course of affairs, but as a real disaster as regards the success of the operations which we are carrying on in that country. When M. Garnier was placed by Admiral Dupré at the beal of our expedition, wo were the first to ap plaud this choice. We thought, and we think still, that his personal merit and bia severe study during a long and trying mission, bis profound knowledge of the habits and customs of the populations, which we are desirous to bring under our influenor, designated bim na- Aurally as the man most fitted to fill this diffi- .cult post.
Up to the 3rd December last, a space of hardly two mouths, how had M. Garnier ful- filled his mission? What results had be ob tained? The Courier de Saigon is either silent on obscure on these two important points. We shall endeavour to fill up its spaces and to pierce is darkuoss.
The capture of the citadel of Hannoi, when the expedition commenced, was not, as has been pret: nded, a useless butchery, but an act of vigour domanded imperatively by the circumstances. It had the effect, combined with the capture by the Marshal of several high mandarins, to put an end to every attempt at resistance, and to secure to our partisans the attitude in the country on which we had calculated. M. Garnier who bad, during the course of his journeys, had an opportunity of studying the sentiments and aspirations of these people, oppressed by the agents of the court at Hue, and impatient to throw off a yoke which s odious to them was able clearly to made use of their favourable disposition to cause the aupremacy of France to be recognised, and to replace by men, who were reliable and of his own choice, the authorities who showed themselves indifferent or hostile. In concert with the Chinese merchants he was engaged at the same time, in making up a Customs' Tariff, promising the greatest guarantees to com. merce, together with an assured protection, and ultimately, by a proclamation posted ou the wails of Hunuoi, opened the porta of Ton- quin to navigation and profit. This last measure was, moreover, the logical conclusion of our expedition.
With the intelligent activity which was one of his chief qualities, and disposing with prudence his little body of troops, M. Garnier soon caused our sovereignty to be recognised in the six Provinces of Tonquin, numbering more than three million inhabitants. He set ap every- where functionaries devoted to our cause, and was making arrangements for the organisation of a
native militia. No trouble or serious opposi tion was manifested. The deposed literati and Mandarins retired, dissimulating their dis- content, and recognising their incompetency. On all sides French flags flew in the villages, and it was easy to see that before long, a large zone of Toaquin would be subjugated to onr influence, when the relentless (inconsciente) bull of a Chinese pirate catae, and in an obscure brawl, suspended, with the life of M. Garnier, the course of our success.
We know, no doubt, that it was not within the instructions of M. Garnier, and above all with the force at his disposition, to conquer Tonquin, but he was better acquainted than anybody with the ruses and calculated delays of Annamite diplomacy, and the plan which he pursued with such happy persistency, by unveiling to the Court of Hué its feobleness and its unpopularity, would hav brought it per force in a short time to accept the conditions which we proposed to him, and at last to sign that famous treaty which it has held ant to us so long. The route to be followed was cloverly marked out, and the anccessors of M. Garnier seemed to have no- thing to do, but to reap the results of bis policy.
Why then does everything now appear to be called in question? Why are the forts taken and occupied by our troops, and the provinces which we had brought into submission ren- dered back to the Annamites? Why are the functionaries nominated by M. Garnier de- posed? What are the causes of this disavowal. of all our acts? What representations, what pusillanimous suggestions have been obeyed? What is this fatality which seems to strike our polety everywhere with sterility and ridiculous diversion from its objects? Has M. Philastre only carried out precise instructions, or has he bad latitude to follow personal inspirations only too well known.
Ju any case, the disastrous consequences of this retirement, which nothing justifies, ha enot been delayed. Behind us our enemies take courage and again hold up their beads; our | partisans are followed up: some of them havo beet omssacred; villages have been burned, the hilesionaries, who have lent ns their assistance, fear the persecutions which will speedily arise. We can easily acize Chinese junks, and hang pirates, but it will be difficult to gain buck the confidence of the people, whom our abandonment leaves miser- ably to inevitable reprisala.
The Courier de Saigon of the 20th January, foretells the early return of M. Philastre from his voyage, which will already have had such sad consequences, and announces the ceparture of M. Rheinart. Inspector of We native affairs, as resident at Tonquin. trust sincerely that this officer, whose firmness and intelligence is renounised by everyone here, will succeed in the mission which is confided to him, but we do not lare to hope it, after the Campaigne of the Chief of Native Justice,