SAIGON.
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jungle fowl or wildcock, pheasant, &c., may be mentioned. The rivers and creeks swarm with fish of every description, and alligators abound in some.
In the chief towns of each province there is a citadel sufficiently garrisoned, and numerous military posts in the interior maintain and watch over the security of the inhabitants. The Annamites are a race devoted principally to agriculture; they are not so industrious as the Chinese and are indifferent traders. The Chinese bave the largest proportion of the trade in their hands.
The Government of French Cochin-China is administered by a civil Governor appointed from Paris, who is assisted by a Privy Council composed of all the Heads 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 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 tavourable 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 Governinent House is the most remarkable; several millions of francs have been spent upon its construction and decoration. The other prominent public buildings are the "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 parc.
There is also a stately gothic Cathedral of large proportions. 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 is great. There is good docking accommodation. The population of Saigon on the 31st December, 1886. was 18,009 (exclusive of the Naval and Military Forces), of which number 8,986 were Annamites and 6,649 Chinese. The French population numbers 1,257, and other Europeans 97. 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.
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 there is a railway to Mytho. All the principal towns of French Cochin-China possess telegraphic communication, and a sub-marine cable unites the colony with Singapore, Hongkong, Haiphong, &e. 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 there are usually one or two other journals published, but they frequently change their titles, and lead a spasmodic
existence.
The import trade of Saigon, which is practically that of the whole colony, amount- ed for the first half of 1888 to a value of $5,645,340. The quantity of rice exported in 1887 was 7,936,000 piculs. In 1887, 496 vessels, agregating 619,211 tons, cleared from the port, of which 190 vessels of 229,321 tons were British, a proportion, ex- cluding the French mail boats, of more than one-half.
Saigon is no longer a free port, heavy Customs dues having been imposed since July, 1887, with exemptions in favour of French goods and shipping. The tariff is based on the General Tariff of France.