2
street is all but impassable from the depth of mud, but near the fort shingle has been strewn on the road, which is a little improvement upon the usual state of things.
Haiphong is the highest point to which vessels drawing fourteen feet can ascend the Cua-cam, and for the present is the shipping port of Hanoi, the capital of the Province, which is situated upon the Songkoi or Red River, about 60 miles distant in a direct line, and 145 by the water route. From the extensive works under construction, it appears as if the French intended it to be the anchorage for foreign vessels; but the Red River, which debouches into the sea about twelve miles to the southward of the Cua-cam, is a fine stream, with a rise and fall in the freshets of from twenty-six to thirty feet, although at this season of the year it is very low; in fact it reminded me of the Yangtze Kiang, bars and sandbanks blockading its approaches from the sea. When well surveyed, I can imagine no greater existing difficulty in its navigation to Hanoi than the Yangtze offers to Hankow, and we know how well that has been overcome. I do not therefore see the utility of the works now being prosecuted at a great expense at Haiphong, but there may be reasons for it unknown to me.
Haiphong is connected with Hanoi either by the River Cua-cam or by canals, the most available of which I have mentioned as having its entrance at that place. After proceeding about twenty-three miles by this route, boats turn into another canal, and, after going some seventy-seven miles, enter the main river, the Songkoi or Red River, and so on to Hanoi, distant about forty-five miles. The water in these canals at this season is very low, and rises but little with the tides of the two rivers which feed them. During the summer freshets they are deep enough for steam launches or small steamers drawing four or five feet, or perhaps more.
At Haiphong there was little to be seen and not much to be learned, for what business there is is done at the capital, Hanoi, where the natives and the Chinese merchants reside. At one time I almost despaired of being able to reach the latter, for of native passage boats there are none, decked or covered over at least, and the distance was too great to attempt it in the "Egeria's" small steam-cutter. I found, however, a trading steam-launch called the "City of Whampoa," which I succeeded in chartering, for I felt, unless I reached the capital, the object of my visit to Touquin would fail. I was therefore glad to hire her, indifferent as her accommodation was.
Captain Castle, the commander of Her Majesty's ship "Egeria," and myself were most kindly and hospitably received by M. Turc, the French Consul at Haiphong, the Commandant of the fort, Major Dubeaux, and M. Gres, the Director of Customs. The former gave me all the information I required respecting the trade of the country, and its resources; but frankly said it was still in an incipient state, and in the hands of Chinese at Hanoi; and whether it would develop into importance depended chiefly on the communications with Chinese Yunnan being re-opened. He furnished me with a list of the principal articles of merchandize imported and exported viâ Haiphong, and a return of the exports therefrom from the 15th of September, 1875, to the 12th of April, 1876, showing a value of 198,914 t. 4 m. 6 c.; of imports there being none. Copies of these documents you will find annexed to this Report.
The Customs at Haiphong are under the control of a French officer, M. Jules Gres, with the title of Inspector; but there are three or more Annamese, calling themselves Inspectors and sub-Inspectors of Customs. I called on these officers at the Custom-house, and was most politely received; but they gave, or could give but little information regarding the trade of the country, but expressed their desire to see English merchant-vessels come to the port. I replied, that it depended a good deal upon the Annamite Government, for if merchandize or produce, either import or export, was saddled with heavy interior duties, as I believed was at present the case in Tonquin, the prospects of a trade were bad, for no merchant would come to an unprofitable market; that a large trade was good for the Government and people of a country, as it brought money into it, and increased the Customs revenue; and that without perfect freedom no great results could be anticipated.
They replied, that as regarded inland duties, it was true they at present existed, but would shortly cease to be levied, in accordance with the terms of the French Treaty; but they had been farmed to a Chinese firm, and the agreement had yet a year to run.
I replied that I was glad to hear it, and advised them to keep out of Chinese hands, and to look to foreign merchants for the interests of trade; for the Chinese, from their bribing propensities, disorganized the local officials, in order to secure a more advantageous position than foreigners, who would not do this. I had reason to believe afterwards, that they referred to the inland duties on the Yunnan route, and not to those of the interior generally. Their names were:-
Luong van-tan, Sub-Inspector of Customs.
Lo tue, Director of Customs.
Nguan van-sze, Sub-Director of Customs.
Petrus Trueong Vinhky, Interpreter.
On the 10th instant, accompanied by Captain Castle, I left in the steam-launch for Hanoi.
There was but little to be seen of the country, the banks of the canal being too high; but from what I saw, it appeared to be fertile, and planted with maize and sugar-cane, sweet potatoes, and other products of these latitudes. On debouching, however, into the main stream, the Songkoi, or Red River, a better view was obtained; and here the bamboo and other trees, with villages and fields, made together a scene of much natural beauty, and gave evidences of a high state of cultivation. I had been informed that little or no boat or junk traffic would be seen, but I found a fair amount of it; and from the stake-nets and boats employed, there is evidently a large supply of fish; rafts of wood and bamboo were frequently met; and altogether there were fair evidences of a contented and well-to-do population.
At this season, taking from December to May, the Red River (Songkoi) is at its lowest, enormous stretches of sand-bands lining the stream, and points of them jutting almost into the centre. About May the melted snow and ice from the mountains of Upper Tonquin and Yunnan come down and the river rises rapidly, attaining a height of thirty feet, and very frequently carrying away the banks, and flooding the country, to the great destruction of life and property. We passed some extensive works being prosecuted to repair an immense breach which last year's freshets had made, and all along the river and the canals preparations were being prosecuted by banking up and supporting the bunds. Annam evidently labours under the same mistake as China in the treatment of her rivers. Instead of dredging the channel, which year by year fills up with alluvial deposits, sand and clay brought down from the highlands, the authorities bank it up, and so in the course of time the bottom of a river is raised above the level of the adjoining land, and if it makes a breach in the bund during the freshets, the whole country is inundated and becomes a vast lake. Such is the cause of the inundations on the Yangtze, and notably that of the Yellow River in China, and evidently also of the Songkoi, or Red River, in Touquin.
The approach to the city of Hanoi, the capital of Tonquin, is very fine, a turn of the river, which is here from bank to bank about a mile or more in breadth, brings into view the Town and the French Settlement which is under construction like that at Haiphong, with the barracks and Consular buildings under erection thereon. The city rises gradually from the river, and embedded in trees and foliage and seen on a bright and sunny day, has a charming appearance. We anchored off the landing-place at 10:30 A.M., on Monday the 10th, and went on shore at once to call upon the Comte de Kergaradec, the French Consul, who lives in the Annamite Examination Hall, at least a mile and a half from the river, but finding it impossible to get palanquins for hire, Captain Castle and myself called at the house of the Bishop, Monseignor Pergenier to borrow them. Here, while talking to him, M. Aumoitte, Chancelier of the Consulate came, saying that M. Turc, the Consul at Haiphong, had sent a message overland to inform Comte de Kergaradee of our intended visit, and the messenger had arrived only an hour before us, and chairs were coming to take us to the Consulate. These duly arrived and we went on.
On reaching the Consulate I was received by M. de Kergaradec with great courtesy, and found he had prepared rooms for us.
During the forenoon I had a long conversation with M. de Kergaradec regarding the condition of affairs in Tonquin, which he very frankly explained. He said the political Treaty of the 15th March, 1874, concluded with the Annamite Government was fairly good, but the commercial one of the 23rd of November of that year was a failure. No provision having been made to regulate the transit dues on produce destined for the open ports, with the exception of those en route to and from Yunnan, consequently the Annamite Government, when called upon to act in accordance with the Commercial Treaty, replies that it is prepared to do so as soon as the frontier route to Yünnan is cleared of the Chinese bandits who hold it and levy black mail upon all that passes, but as regards the provinces the Treaty does not apply, and rest their argument upon the last section of the IInd Article; that it was certainly an oversight on the part of the framers of the Treaty, if the intention was to equalize the transit...
227
2
street is all but impassable from the depth of mud, but near the fort shingle has been strewn on the road, which is a little improvement upon the usual state of things.
Haiphong is the highest point to which vessels drawing fourteen feet can ascend the Cua-cam, and for the present is the shipping port of Hanoi, the capital of the Province, which is situated upon the Songkoi or Red River, about 60 miles distant in a direct line, and 145 by the water route. From the extensive works under construction, it appears as if the French intended it to be the anchorage for foreign vessels; but the Red River, which debouches into the sea about twelve miles to the southward of the Cua-cam, is a fine stream, with a rise and fall in the freshets of from twenty-six to thirty feet, although at this season of the year it is very low; in fact it reminded me of the Yangtze Kiang, bars and sandbanks blockading its approaches from the sea. When well surveyed, I can imagine no greater existing difficulty in its navigation to Hanoi than the Yangtze offers to Hankow, and we know how well that has been overcome. I do not therefore see the utility of the works now being prosecuted at a great expense at Haiphong, but there may be reasons for it unknown
to me.
Haiphong is connected with Hanoi either by the River Cua-cam or by canals, the most available of which I have mentioned as having its entrance at that place. After proceeding about twenty-three miles by this route, boats turn into another canal, and, after going some seventy-seven miles, enter the main river, the Songkoi or Red River, and so on to Hanoi, distant about forty-five miles. The water in these canals at this season is very low, and rises but little with the tides of the two rivers which feed them. During the summer freshets they are deep enough for steam launches or small steamers drawing four or five feet, or perhaps more.
At Haiphong there was little to be seen and not much to be learned, for what business there is is done at the capital, Hanoi, where the natives and the Chinese merchants reside. At one time I almost despaired of being able to reach the latter, for of native passage boats there are none, decked or covered over at least, and the distance was too great to attempt it in the "Egeria's" small steam-cutter. I found, however, a trading steam-launch called the " City of Whampoa," which I succeeded in chartering, for I felt, unless I reached the capital, the object of my visit to Touquin would fail. I was therefore glad to hire her, indifferent as her accommodation was.
Captain Castle, the commander of Her Majesty's ship "Egeria," and myself were most kindly and hospitably received by M. Turc, the French Consul at Haiphong, the Commandant of the fort, Major Dubeaux, and M. Gres, the Director of Customs. The former gave me all the information I required respecting the trade of the country, and its resources; but frankly said it was still in an incipient state, and in the hands of Chinese at Hanoi ; and whether it would develop into importance depended chiefly on the communications with Chinese Yunnan being re-opened. He furnished me with a list of the principal articles of merchandize imported and exported viâ Haiphong, and a return of the exports therefrom from the 15th of September, 1875, to the 12th of April, 1876, showing a value of 198,914 t. 4 m. 6 c.; of imports there being none. Copies of these documents you will find annexed to this Report.
The Customs at Haiphong are under the control of a French officer, M. Jules Gres, with the title of Inspector; but there are three or more Annamese, calling themselves Inspectors and sub-Inspectors of Customs. I called on these officers at the Custom- house, and was most politely received; but they gave, or could give but little informa- tion regarding the trade of the country, but expressed their desire to see English merchant-vessels come to the port. I replied, that it depended a good deal upon the Annamite Government, for if merchandize or produce, either import or export, was saddled with heavy interior duties, as I believed was at present the case in Tonquin, the prospects of a trade were bad, for no merchant would come to an unprofitable market; that a large trade was good for the Government and people of a country, as it brought money into it, and increased the Customs revenue; and that without perfect freedom no great results could be anticipated.
They replied, that as regarded inland duties, it was true they at present existed, but would shortly cease to be levied, in accordance with the terms of the French Treaty; but they had been farmed to a Chinese firm, and the agreement had yet a year to
run.
I replied that I was glad to hear it, and advised them to keep out of Chinese hands, and to look to foreign merchants for the interests of trade; for the Chinese, from their bribing propensities, disorganized the local officials, in order to secure a more advantageous position than foreigners, who would not do this. I had reason to believe
1
3
afterwards, that they referred to the inland duties on the Yunnan route, and not to those of the interior generally. Their names were :-
Luong van-tan, Sub-Inspector of Customs.
Lo tue, Director of Customs.
Nguan van-sze, Sub-Director of Customs. Petrus Trueong Vinhky, Interpreter.
On the 10th instant, accompanied by Captain Castle, I left in the steam-launch for Hanoi.
There was but little to be seen of the country, the banks of the canal being too high; but from what I saw, it appeared to be fertile, and planted with maize and sugar-cane, sweet potatoes, and other products of these latitudes. On debouching, however, into the main stream, the Songkoi, or Red River, a better view was obtained; and here the bamboo and other trees, with villages and fields, made together a scene of much natural beauty, and gave evidences of a high state of cultivation. I had been informed that little or no boat or junk traffic would be seen, but I found a fair amount of it; and from the stake-nets and boats employed, there is evidently a large supply of fish; rafts of wood and bamboo were frequently met; and altogether there were fair evidences of a contented and well-to-do population.
At this season, taking from December to May, the Red River (Songkoi) is at its lowest, enormous stretches of sand-bands lining the stream, and points of them jutting almost into the centre. About May the melted snow and ice from the mountains
of Upper Tonquin and Yunnan come down and the river rises rapidly, attaining a height of thirty feet, and very frequently carrying away the banks, and flooding the country, to the great destruction of life and property. We passed some extensive works being prosecuted to repair an immense breach which last year's freshets had made, and all along the river and the canals preparations were being prosecuted by banking up and supporting the bunds. Annam evidently labours under the same mistake as China in the treatment of her rivers. Instead of dredging the channel, which year by year fills up with alluvial deposits, sand and clay brought down from the highlands, the authorities bank it up, and so in the course of time the bottom of a river is raised above the level of the adjoining land, and if it makes a breach in the bund during the freshets, the whole country is inundated and becomes a vast lake. Such is the cause of the inundations on the Yangtze, and notably that of the Yellow River in China, and evidently also of the Songkoi, or Red River, in Touquin.
The approach to the city of Hanoi, the capital of Tonquin, is very fine, a turn of the river, which is here from bank to bank about a mile or more in breadth, brings into view the Town and the French Settlement which is under construction like that at Haiphong, with the barracks and Consular buildings under erection thereon. The city rises gradually from the river, and embedded in trees and foliage and seen on a bright and sunny day, has a charming appearance. We anchored off the landing- place at 10:30 A.M., on Monday the 10th, and went on shore at once to call upon the Comte de Kergaradec, the French Consul, who lives in the Annamite Examination Hall, at least a mile and a half from the river, but finding it impossible to get palanquins for hire, Captain Castle and myself called at the house of the Bishop, Monseignor Pergenier to borrow them. Here, while talking to bim, M. Aumoitte, Chancelier of the Consulate came, saying that M. Turc, the Consul at Haiphong, had sent a message overland to inform Comte de Kergaradee of our intended visit, and the messenger had arrived only an hour before us, and chairs wese coming to take us to the Consulate. These duly arrived and we went on.
On reaching the Consulate I was received by M. de Kergaradec with great courtesy, and found he had prepared rooms for us.
During the forenoon I had a long conversation with M. de Kergarades regarding the condition of affairs in Tonquin, which he very frankly explained. He said the political Treaty of the 15th March, 1874, concluded with the Annamite Government was fairly good, but the commercial one of the 23rd of November of that year was a failure. No provision having been made to regulate the transit dues on produce destined for the open ports, with the exception of those en route to and from Yunnan, consequently the Annamite Government, when called upon to act in accordance with the Commercial Treaty, replies that it is prepared to do so as soon as the frontier route to Yünnan is cleared of the Chinese bandits who hold it and levy black mail upon all that passes, but as regards the provinces the Treaty does not apply, and rest their argument upon the last section of the IInd Article; that it was certainly an oversight on the part of the framers of the Treaty, if the intention was to equalize the transit
227
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