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of Departments as official members and two unofficial members. The Colonial Council, some of the members of which are elected by the residents, consists of sixteen members, four of whom are natives. In the various arrondissements, moreover, councils have lately been introduced composed entirely of natives. The towns of Saigon and Cholon are ruled by Municipal Councils, the members of which bodies are partly French and partly native. The Chamber of Commerce at Saigon is also an official body elected by the merchants and traders, and is composed of French, foreigners, and Chinese.
Saigon is situated about 40 miles from Cape St. James and is accessible to the largest vessels. Since its occupation by the French the climate has undergone a very favourable change, owing to different sanitary works in the town, such as drains, the filling up of pools, marshes, &c. The town presents a fine appearance, the roads and thoroughfares being broad and regular. Amongst the public buildings Government House is the most remarkable; several millions of francs have been spent upon its construction, and decoration. The other prominent public buildings are the new "Direction de l'Interieur," the Treasury, the Post Office, the Land Office, Public Works Department, the Schools, and the Supreme Court. The Military Hospital is a fine and handsome building, as are also the Arsenal, Barracks, and Artillery pare. A stately gothic Cathedral of large proportions was opened on the 11th April, 1881. Saigon has two public gardens, the "Jardin de la Ville," which is maintained at the expense of the municipality, and the Botanical Garden. There are several rice-mills in Saigon and Cholon. There are also steam brick-yards in each town. Cholon is the granary of the colony, and its commercial activity great. There is an iron floating dock at Saigon, and a new one was completed at the Arsenal in August, 1881, but sank on the 1st September following while being lowered to take in the transport Mytho. A large new dry dock, 500 feet long by 66 in width, is in course of construction. The population of Saigon on the 31st December, 1885, was 16,600 (exclusive of the Naval and Military Forces), of which number 7,988 were Annamites and 6,210 Chinese. The French population numbers 1,108, and other Europeans 186. The town of Cholon is four miles distant from Saigon, and its population may be set down at 70,000. It is connected with Saigon by a steam tramway.
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The M. M. steamers call twice a month at Saigon on their homeward and outward trips. Easy communication is afforded with the principal towns of the interior by subsidized mail steamers, and a railway to Mytho is almost com- pleted. All the principal towns of French Cochin-China possess telegraphic com- inunication, and a sub-marine cable unites the colony with Singapore, Hongkong, Haiphong, &c. The postal organization of the colony is very complete and efficient. Correspondence can be sent daily to almost all parts of the country. The Journal Officiel, which is also the Government Gazette, is published twice a week, and Le Saigonnais and L'Extrême Orient also appear twice a week.
The import and export trade of Saigon, which is practically that of the whole colouy, amounted in 1885 to a value of $36,179,417, as against $33,803,778 in 1884. The quantity of rice exported was 7,501,847 piculs, of which 5,680,155 was for Hongkong. During the first six months of 1886 tire imports, including treasure, amounted to $7,362,000, and the exports to $10,895,000. In 1885, 509 vessels, aggregating 563,270 tons, cleared from the port, of which 245 vessels of 246,030 tons were British, a proportion, excluding the French mail boats, of about five-eighths.
A new tariff has been proposed, which, if adopted, will destroy the freedom of the port. Hitherto the duties have been limited to spirits, arms, and ammunition, but under the new tariff nearly all imports will be subject to heavy duty; imports from France and Algeria, however, would get a rebate of 60 per cent. The export duty on rice and paddy by foreign ships would be 27 cents; to France and French colonies 18 cents, and to the latter by French ships 15 cents. Light dues are fixed at 10 cents, and the tonnage dues on foreign vessels at 40 cents, French vessels being exempt.